


Spring Break

by amaet, nedra



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Chernobyl, F/F, Romance, pearlmethyst - Freeform, radiation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-04-19 01:27:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 57,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4727576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaet/pseuds/amaet, https://archiveofourown.org/users/nedra/pseuds/nedra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven and his father were invited by the Maheswaran family to go with them on Spring Break, and somehow roped Garnet into coming along with; leaving Pearl and Amethyst to confront an issue that's been bubbling for years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arc I - What Was That Supposed to Mean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

“Ugh...remind me WHY we're doing this, again?” The shorter one contends. She's been summoned to the room of her teammate, and with every bit of resistance she'd expressed, Pearl would only come back with equal insistence. The water flows around them, quietly. A serene surrounding in contract to the two gems who are clearly in disagreement.

The taller one makes a small grunt. “Amethyst...” She levels. “We have to be in-sync. Become more familiar with each other...and with our sequences. It's the only way to improve Opal's...unity, strength, her bond--OUR bond. We need to find a rhythm. And your incessant whining isn't going to make this any easier.”

“Wow P, you really know how to talk. Can you say that again...with less words this time?” She brushes her mangy hair out of her face only for it to come back down over her left eye. She crosses her arms and huffs, avoiding Pearl's probing and clamant gaze.

“Amethyst!” She repeats, fuse getting short already. She quickly suppresses the urge to argue and exhales slowly. “Listen...we had...a dangerous amount of difficulty fusing on our mission to obtain the Heaven Beetle. Even with Steven's life in danger, even with all the motivation and reasoning, it was hard to form, let alone hold the fusion...at first. And since Sugilite is 'benched', and Garnet and I are...on shaky ground...at the moment... We need to focus on areas that CAN be easily improved. That means Opal, for now.”

Amethyst squints, pursing her lips at Pearl's wordy explanation. “Hey it's not my fault! You know how I dance! You completely ignore it and go off with your ballet routine. That may have worked with...other people, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm like...half your height! I can't exactly pull off the dance moves that you do. Not with these stubs.” She says, referring to her legs. She squats for emphasis, pointing downward; Pearl frowns.

“I dance how I do because it...flows nicely. Ballet is steady, and forward. Yours is so...vulgar...and neurotic. How am I supposed to even move like that?” She slants, shuttering at the thought of herself dancing like that.

“See, there you go! It has to be your way all the time! Why should I have to compromise?” Amethyst asserts, starting to raise her voice.

“Please keep your voice down, Amethyst.” Pearl says lowly. Amethyst rolls her eyes and mumbles something under her breath.

“Whatever, I'm out of here.” She murmurs, starting towards the edge of the fountain they stand on.

She is apprehended by willowy pale fingers gripping onto her arm. She stops upon being pulled back gently. “Wait.” Pearl whispers. “I'll compromise. Just please give this a chance.”

Surprised by this, Amethyst takes a moment to register those words. She remains silent, but turns around to face her teammate.

“Teach me a few...moves?” Pearl tries softly. Amethyst's eyes widen.

“Are you serious?” She narrows, feeling like this might be a joke of some kind.

“Yes... You're right about me...I guess I'm too...rigid...set in my own ways. I need to make room for adjustments; improvements. I'm sorry.” 

“Euhh...a'right. Whatever.” She shrugs, scratching the back of her neck. This is awkward somehow. She's not used to being listened to, or having things done her way. “What do you want me to do?”

Pearl turns vacant for a moment. “Aren't you supposed to tell me what to do? Or...show me how you dance?”

Amethyst squints and crinkles her brows. “Uhm..yeah. Okay. Sure.”

 

* * *  
  


It's been about 45 minutes. They started off with solo dancing, showing each other their styles and movements. Then it progressed into teaching and translating each others movements and syncing them to create at least SOME harmony. Things settle down emotionally, and it wasn't so much awkwardly quiet as it was towards the start. Amethyst would beat-box occasionally only to be shushed by a frazzled team mate who couldn't seem to get the gist of..whatever dancing Amethyst had been showing her.

“Pffft, P, you can't move your hips like that! You look like a wrinkled up straw wrapper.” She snorts, not at all trying to withhold her boisterous laughter.

“Eugh, you don't have to be so rude, Amethyst. You're supposed to guide me. How else am I supposed to move my hips? I'm not as...provocative as you.”

Amethyst grunts and blows the hair out of her face, rolling her eyes as she does. “It's not that hard, just act like you're...I dunno! Water? You're not supposed to move just your hips, its supposed to be like a wave going from head to toe! Use your whole body!” She explains, gyrating her body in demonstration. “Try not to think about it too much.”

Pearl bites her lip, finding Amethyst's movements to be too racy. “Maybe we can try something else.”

“Quitter.” Amethyst grouses.

“Let's practice dipping.” She offers, changing the record on the player in her room.

“Okay but do we really need that crap playing in the background? It sounds depressing.”

A soft, slow piano begins playing. Pearl scowls at Amethyst. “It's calming and conducive to a proper learning environment. There's countless statistics and studies on the effect of musical introdu--”

Amethyst moves her hand in a fashion that mics Pearl's wordy excuses. “Right, okay let's just do this. But don't blame me if I fall asleep.”

As per her typical routine, Pearl bows to Amethyst wordlessly, the latter follows suit, only less dramatically.

Pearl makes a small pirouette as her opening, and while Amethyst should be moving, too, she instead stays still and watches her team mate, somewhat entranced by her movements. She's so methodical and robotic with her steps, it makes Amethyst wonder if she feels anything for dance or just does it as an obligation for following Gem tradition.

She shakes her head to snap back to the exercise, making small and uncommitted promenades towards her purpose. When it comes time for the dip, Amethyst decides to take things up a notch, much to her teammate's surprise. Grabbing Pearl by the hips and spinning her before catching her. Pearl makes an exclamation of surprise followed by small laughter, finding the gesture to be charming. Ultimately, Amethyst lowers her towards the ground in what is supposed to be the dip.

It was by both of their standards, a flawless execution. They remain in the pose for some time.

“Well, at least you didn't elbow me in the face this time.” Amethyst comments.

Pearl giggles softly. “I'm surprised I didn't. I wasn't expecting you to spin me.”

“Gotta mix things up once in a while, P.” she grins, wiggling her eyebrows erratically.

“I suppose so.” She smiles warmly. Her arms relax on Amethyst's shoulders, putting an obscene amount of trust into the idea that Amethyst will continue to hold her. It's quiet for a moment as the record moves onto the next track. More piano junk. “That wasn't so bad, now was it?”

Amethyst fails to respond. She's fixated on Pearl, staring at her as if lost in some sort of reverie, or a dream. After not receiving an answer, tries probing her teammate again.

“Amethyst? Is something wrong?” She asks, just loud enough to hear over the music.

Before she's able to inquire any further, she finds her mouth being captured by her teammate's in what she is now registering as a disheveled, but nonetheless, warm kiss.

 

Completely off-guard at the gesture, she is disabled to make any sort of reciprocation. Where is this coming from? And why? Despite an inability to return the gesture, she observes Amethyst's lips to be soft, and hot. But chapped. She regains the senses in her face, twitching her own lips and tilting her head slightly to accommodate the other's. Whether its from free-will or some kind of reaction, she doesn't know. She only knows that it feels...good?

And just as she was getting used to the feeling, Amethyst quickly breaks off and drops Pearl onto the floor.

“Oh...crud.” She mumbles under her breath. Pearl looks up at her to be greeted with a horrified, or embarrassed Amethyst, who backs away slow at first, but whips around to jump off the platform. She disappears before Pearl can even collect herself to protest.

That was...odd. And now she has no idea what to do.

 


	2. Arc I - And Bare Kisses On Tender Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

By the time Pearl has gathered the fortitude to pursue, it just as quickly leaves her. Amethyst ran from her, it would do no good to follow her demanding answers. She knows from experience that Amethyst is a heavily emotional being, and it will take some time for her to be...approachable. 

Her lips prickle with the ghost of their kiss. In the aftermath, Pearl is unsure how she feels. It was so shocking. So sudden. The record switches songs again and startles her into turning the player off. Lightly touching her fingers to her lips, she sighs, somehow wishing she would have savored it more.-- analyzed it, as per her nature to try facing things with logical perspective.

Kissing. It's a gesture of affection. She concludes bluntly that Amethyst was being affectionate. But part of her wants to argue that maybe she was just caught up in the moment, and they will go back to being their usual selves after Amethyst has had time to cool off. 

Sure, that's what she tells herself, but she can hardly believe her own observations at the time. She has failed to address how she herself feels about all this. How she feels about her team mate. Does it even matter? What good can even come of this? She rubs her temples and groans faintly. 

“Amethyst...” She whispers to herself, as if reprimanding her for the inconvenience of troubling confusion and new emotions.

Judging by her reaction, Amethyst was just as surprised as Pearl is, so she has to assume it was a mistake of some kind. Yes. That. Let's go with that. 

It takes some arguing with herself to work up the ambition to tend to her usual tasks. Like dishes and organizing and making Steven's bed. As much as she would love to just stand here analyzing every aspect of what just happened.

* * *

There's just something so...calming about washing dishes. She's almost disappointed when she places the final dish on the drying rack. Despite being preoccupied, she's unable to shake the constant reminiscence of that kiss. What does it mean if you can't stop thinking about something...or someone? She shakes her head. She's done with this fiasco. Time to make Steven's bed, and organize his things.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she's startled at the sound of the temple door opening. Out of some strange propensity, she leaps over Steven's bed and hides on the other side, crouched down low.

'What is wrong with me? I'm being ridiculous.' She scolds her own behavior, peering over the bed to see Amethyst, lingering in the doorway as if checking if the coast is clear.

'Why is she so afraid?' Pearl thinks to herself. '...And why am I hiding from her?' She huffs and stands up from behind the bed, stripping the duvet and straightening out the sheets. Maybe if she just goes about her business as usual, and shows Amethyst that things don't have to be weird...

After finishing her nitpicking at the fitted-sheet, the door to the temple finally closes behind Amethyst. Pearl can hear the methodical steps being made across the room. She flails the loose sheet several times until it finally comes to rest where she wants it to, flattening out the wrinkles carefully. She pauses, bent over the bed, staring down at her thin fingers. Should she try to make conversation?

Just as she's about to say something, the front door to the house is shut, and Amethyst has left. Pearl sighs, snatching up the duvet in frustration and completing making the bed. She then orders Steven's books and movies by sequence of the human alphabet. 

She sighs, placing her hands on her hips.

Now what?

* * *

The tea kettle is dropped onto the stove. The burner, ignited. The fireplace, freshly stocked. It may be spring, but it's still cold enough for her to enjoy the comforts of warmth and relaxation. It's odd, not having Garnet here to direct them, nor having Steven here to keep things busy and interesting. But at the same time, it's a blessing. It's not often she partakes in the consumption of tea, but she needs all the comfort she can get at this point.

Amethyst has yet to return. It's been almost 8 hours. The sun has just set and in her time to herself she's managed to collect several books from the Beach City library. Miraculously, she can always find new material to learn. For now, she's settled on studying Roman society, economy and cultures. Although she has been here during such times in the past, she rarely made it to areas such as Italy and the surrounding colonies of civilization. 

She spreads out her options and decides to start with a compendium of Pompeii Graffiti. She tosses the book skillfully onto the couch, where she will join it momentarily. She then rests her elbows on the counter, waiting for the water to heat. 

Where is Amethyst? In all the hours she's been festering in her thoughts and re-evaluating every little detail relentlessly, she's ready to confront her. Well...not confront her, Amethyst does not respond well to being interrogated or cornered. No matter how much time has passed, her lips feel curious. Tingly. When she thinks of just that small moment of contact, whether she would care to admit it or not, she wanted to try again...or at least make things clear between them. Talk things out. Yes. Talking is good.

The kettle whistles obnoxiously, snapping her back to the present.

Enough trifling, she tells herself again, frustrated at her inability to forget about it. She pours her tea, indulging in adding one small packet of sweetner. Even if Amethyst doesn't come home tonight, nothing will stop her from enjoying the evening. Tea, a book, and a fire going should help her...stay occupied.

...

This book is all over the place. She skipped the author's notes, why bother reading another human's interpretation of ancient history when they themselves can hardly interpret their own short, pathetic existence in the present? The book translates, as she assumed, graffiti written on the walls of Pompeii before its ultimate demise. They are categorized by subject. For example, there are 20-some pages of nothing but graffiti that people wrote on the walls of a brothel. Reviews of certain prostitutes are written in poor-taste, giving names and dates of the inscriptions. Disgusting. 

Despite it's vulgar nature and sexual-based themes, she found at least SOME of the content entertaining. 

_'I wish I could hold to my neck and embrace the little arms, and bare kisses on the tender lips. Go on, doll, and trust your joys to the winds; believe me, light is the nature of men.'_

That's about the most articulate and pleasing sentence she's read so far. She stares at the picture, and then to the caption. The author, as well as other insignificant humans have seemingly debated over the nature and reasoning behind the scripture, thinking that it was addressed from one woman to another. Which in those times was considered a taboo of sorts. She rolls her eyes, finding it both interesting and idiotic that humans get so caught up in such arguments concerning sexual orientations. 

She almost loses her grip on the book as the front door opens. Despite Pearl's constant attempts to oil the hinges, it always seems to give off some kind of squeak. Amethyst is back, and although her objective is seemingly to be to walk right passed Pearl and go to her room, Pearl has other ideas. 

She gathers her thoughts quickly. “Amethyst?”

The shorter gem stops but doesn't bother facing the other. “Yeah, what?” There's a tone in her voice that disagrees with Pearl, but she overlooks this for the sake of getting answers.

“Where have you been?” She asks, trying to sound more inquisitive than accusatory. 

“Places... y'know. Around. What's it to you?” She returns, still keeping face forward. 

“I was just curious. You were gone for...an awfully long time.” She forces a smile. This is terrible. “Would you like to...sit with me?” She tries. “D'uh...I mean...tell me about your...day?” She closes her book to seem more focused and accommodating. 

Amethyst glances over for a second and then turns her gaze to the floor. Crossing her arms, she huffs. “You're not gonna' ask about what happened this morning, are you?”

Pearl grinds her teeth and maintains her feeble smile. “Eeeuh...no.” She denies, albeit too over-zealous. “Not if you don't want to discuss it.” She fidgets with the book in her lap, she's absolutely horrid at pretending.

She's surprised when Amethyst rents the spot next to her on the couch. She seems her usual...aloof self, but her attitude suggests a certain agitation. 

They sit in silence for what seems like minutes. The only sounds coming from the fireplace, crackling and sweltering as it eats away at the oak logs. Pearl is about to ask Amethyst where she went today, but she's beat to the punch.

“Sooooo, whatcha' readin', P?” Amethyst cuts in. Pearl is almost too quick to answer.

“OH...YOU KNOW...just...historical stuff. This book in specific is on simple graffiti discovered on the walls of the ancient city of Pompeii, a city that was once located in present-day Naples. It was obliterated by a cataclysmic and devastating eruption of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius. It's actually quite interesting what people would write on public buildings for complete strangers to pass by.” She laughs nervously, clasping her hands together and weaving her fingers erratically. 

“Sounds pretty boring. Why do humans care about what other humans wrote on buildings a bazillion years ago? When they do it, its -historical!- but when I do it, I'm a -criminal- and a -vagrant-.” She brushes the hair out of her face and rests her feet up on the coffee table.

Pearl gulps nervously and forces another weak laugh. “Well...vandalism and vulgarity aside...there's actually some pretty cerebral and... _romantic_...passages...” She says delicately. 

“It truly shows that no matter how primitive the human race might have been in past civilizations, they've always had a...penchant for intimacy...” At this point, Pearl wonders if she isn't subconsciously trying to bait Amethyst into talking about the kiss. She glances to her teammate, greeted with a look of blunt suspicion. 

“You ain't fooling anyone, Pearl. I thought you said we weren't going to talk about it.” Amethyst groans, resting a palm on her face. She wants to get up and leave. 

“Amethyst. I'm not going to force you to talk about it.” Pearl assures her half-heartedly. “However...I think it's in our best interest...or in the team's best interest to get a...solid...clear understanding of whatever exactly...happened this morning...was.” She says methodically, finding that with each word leaving her mouth she seems less and less convinced of her own excuses. Her voice trails off into a mumble.

“For the good of the team?!” Amethyst echoes all but quietly. “Aahaha, you really DON'T get it, do you?!” She growls, finally facing Pearl but with a certain intensity.

“No! Amethyst! I don't get it. That's why I /suggested/ we discuss it!” She returns, trying to be the calm one in the situation is difficult, especially with how quick Amethyst is to raise her voice.

“Uh, pfft, no, you said we should /talk about it/ for the good of the /team/. What if this isn't ABOUT the team, Pearl?! What if its about US, or about ME?” She yells, getting riled up already. “Damn, this conversation is so pointless. Can't we just forget about it?!”

“Amethyst, please lower your voice.” Pearl says flatly. 

_“Amethyst, please lower your voice.”_ Amethyst mimics. “Pearl, _please_ get off your damn high horse!” She adds, standing up and off the couch. “Are we done here?”

Pearl wants to call it quits, but knows that the longer they go without discussing it, the less likely it will be that they will come to any sort of conclusion. Ever. She gently seizes Amethyst by the wrist, earning some eye contact that she didn't know she wanted. “Please, tell me...” She insists softly.

“Tell you what?” She rasps, somewhat started at the tenderness of her teammate's touch. She leans away slightly. “That is was just a mistake? An accident?”

“Just tell me the truth, Amethyst. I promise I won't...treat you any differently.”

“See, even if I was going to confide in you, that's the exact opposite of what I would want you to do.” Amethyst murmurs, becoming more and more uncomfortable with being put on the spot. Her face is hot and she just want to run out of here, back into the cool night air.

“I don't follow.” Pearl states with deadpan honesty.

“PEARL. Ugh, gosh you can be so dense sometimes! It wasn't an accident!” She seethes, ripping her wrist away from her grasp. “I kissed you because I wanted to!” Despite standing, she is still only eye level with Pearl, who is frozen in her spot on the couch. “Satisfied?! Can I go now?!”

She's speechless. Staring into the other's eyes, seemingly looking for something else. Another answer. The only thought she can grasp onto is the phrase she read from the book she was reading moments ago. 

_I wish I could hold to my neck and embrace the little arms, and bare kisses on the tender lips..._

Something about this moment seems...impending. The fire is dull, casting a warm, pulsing glow throughout the room. She finds herself reaching for Amethyst again, only this time with an intent.

_Go on, doll, and trust your joys to the winds; believe me, light is the nature of men._

Pearl's hands smoothly latch onto Amethyst's, and she abandons her hesitations for the moment. It oddly feels...proper. All the fretting and agonizing she'd done today seems emphatic now. Had she been denying how she herself felt for Amethyst this whole time? Were their arguments and petty disagreements more than just a clash of personalities...a deep-seated longing? When had she started to feel this way? 

It doesn't seem to matter. Not now. 

The gem in front of her seems, confused, to say the least. And flustered at the silence and physical contact. “...What are you doing, Pearl?”

Pearl whispers, brushing her thumbs against Amethyst's palms. “Do you want to kiss me, again?”


	3. Arc I - Hold That Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> that video of vladmir putin saying hes gay and likes long big cocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

“This isn't funny Pearl, knock it off!” Amethyst clamors, prying her hands from the tender grip of her teammate's. The sheer embarrassment...her face is on fire. Of course she wants to kiss Pearl. She wants to ravage her...defile her. She shutters away from the mental images of pillaging the gem in front of her and steps away.

Pearl is taken aback at the outburst. “I-- I wasn't...I'm not pretending.” She stammers. The warmth she was feeling moments ago in her gem is cooling fast. “Amethyst, I--”

“You what? Suddenly feel something for me now?!” She laughs bitterly. “Don't insult me, P.”

She swallows hard. “Please, calm down...I just wanted to try--”

“Wanted to test it out? Huh? What if you don't like it? What if you don't like me? You can't just take me for a test spin and go back to being normal if you aren't pleased with the results!”

Pearl ticks away on the inside. Finding this to be much more intense and difficult than necessary. Amethyst gets so riled up so fast that it's hard to keep steady in any argument or conversation with her. It's infuriating. But she knows that she can't give up now. There's a reason Pearl can't just drop it. She'd be lying to herself and to Amethyst if she said she wasn't at all interested.

“You're putting words in my mouth, Amethyst!” Pearl finally snaps, rising from the couch and claiming the space between them. She tries again to grasp the shorter gem by the shoulders, but is quickly smacked away. 

“Don't touch me! You can't go from...nagging and putting me down almost every day...calling me lewd and obnoxious, and then suddenly take advantage of—”

“Don't act like you're completely faultless in this, Amethyst! You. Kissed. ME.” She punctuates sharply. “I was surprised! You gave me NO indication that you...thought of me in such a way before then...”

Amethyst scoffs. “Big deal. It'd be easier if you just forgot about it. Go back to treating me like you normally do.”

“No. No it wouldn't be easier at all. Because ever since you kissed me, Amethyst, I...I've been so confused.” She sighs, filled with so many emotions. “I couldn't...no, I can't stop thinking about it. About you. I try to reason with myself and make sense of it, but I can't... And it's upsetting.” She explains, voice getting weaker by the end of her sentence. 

They look into each others eyes, this time with less anger. The fireplace is getting dimmer, crackling feebly as it begs for more sustenance. Amethyst shivers despite her heated emotional state. She crosses her arms, grinding her teeth and averting her gaze to the coffee table at the book Pearl had open. She decides to remain quiet, finding it exhausting to keep yelling like she has.

“So what is it that you want, exactly?” Amethyst asks gratingly, her voice low.

“I...well...what do you want, Amethyst?”

“Urgh...I want to get out of here.” She states bluntly, rolling her eyes. 

“I know you better than that. You would have ran out of here by now if you really wanted to get away from me.” Pearl chides, sitting back down. She invites Amethyst back onto the couch with a pleading stare. Amethyst respires, suddenly drained of any will to fight. 

She acquiesces...sitting a generous distance from the other. 

Pearl keeps her hands to herself, folding them in her lap out of fear of a fourth rejection for physical contact.

“When did you...know?” She finally asks.

Amethyst exhales wearily. “Jeez...I dunno'. I mean...if I had to guess, I would say it was during that time when Rose was just getting interested in Greg.” She laments. Pearl says nothing in response, so Amethyst continues.

“You were so jealous about it, P, constantly brooding over Rose's relationship. I kind of felt jealous. I was jealous that you liked her when she obviously had no interest in you. It made me mad sometimes. Like I would try to help you and distract you, and you just brushed me off. It was like you enjoyed grieving...” Amethyst groans. “But after a while I just learned, no, I convinced myself that you would always have eyes for her and only her. I cared about you, I guess. Maybe I didn't realize it right away, just how much I cared.”

It's honestly a shock to know that Amethyst had been harboring affection for so long. And hiding it so well all the while. “That...that was so long ago, Amethyst. You...still feel that way?” She asks quietly, turning her gaze onto the other, who slouches into the back of the couch.

“Psh, no.” She says flatly. “Whatever gave you that stupid idea?”

Pearl grunts at the others sarcasm. Amethyst can't help but crack a small grin.

“Of course I do, P. I just never really thought of acting on it. Ever.” She squints, awkwardly recalling this morning's mishap. "I think that's why I'm always harassing you. I thought that since I can't...be that way with you, then I could just...hnnnggg...I dunno'. Nevermind." 

“I see.” She says absently, looking down at her lap. She wants to kiss Amethyst, terribly so. But she feels as if she'd be pushed off if she advanced in any way. Perhaps asking for blunt consent to do so would be better. She inhales slowly, though she doesn't need to breathe, it's somehow calming to do so. 

“May I kiss you?”

Amethyst makes an indiscernible noise of discomfort. “Why do you even have to ask me that?”

“Because I'm trying to be mindful of your...personal space.” She explains, recalling when Amethyst had slapped her hands away previously. 

Neither of them make a sound or offer further conversation. Thus, Pearl takes responsibility and initiative now. Gently, she turns her body to face her objective. The other gem remains beset into the couch, arms crossed and facing forward. Her posture, although discouraging, doesn't stop Pearl from trying. Her thin fingers reach carefully, brushing aside Amethyst's bangs, and then slowly trailing downward, tracing the frame of her jaw. At the touch, Amethyst only seems to stiffen, but Pearl ignores this, insisting Amethyst to face her with a gentle tug.

“Okay.” She tremors. “I'm...I'm going to kiss you now.”

“Oh my damn Pearl! Just do it!” Amethyst charges haughtily. Pearl can't help but take delight in the other's flustered expression. 

Her thumb carefully brushes over Amethyst's labium, as if testing their softness. She finally leans in, taking purchase of her lips. At first, she is timid, careful. For the moment, Pearl is the only one providing kindling to the kiss. Her own lips engaging with limited, almost dire friction. It doesn't feel at all like it did this morning. Amethyst seems disinterested and reserved. Perhaps its too...dry? She observes Amethyst's lips to feel parched...chapped. 

To remedy this, she wets her tongue over them briefly, and returns her lips to exploring. At this, she can hear Amethyst tremble slightly at the sensation, releasing a small whimper. 

Suddenly, the lethargic and apparently dispassionate Amethyst, seems to take interest. Uncrossing her folded arms and meekly placing them over Pearl's thighs. 

Her lips move against Pearl's with an almost reluctant fervor. Slow and methodical. Her lips are soft, and now slick with a benevolent coating of saliva. Amethyst at one point, dares to sink her teeth onto Pearl's lower lip, claiming it for a moment, earning a gasp from her. She pulls away for a few seconds, now becoming acquainted with the rising heat in her cheeks. Her eyes, half-lidded, fastens onto Amethyst's, curious.

This time, Amethyst is the one to close the gap, reclaiming Pearl's lips hungrily. Her hands, moving from thighs to hips and pulling her closer. Pearl's breath hitches, startled by the dominance. She grasps onto the shorter gem's shoulders and steadies herself, daring to imitate Amethyst in biting her lip. She feels Amethyst grin in reply. A shiver travels through her spine and she repeats the gesture, enjoying the prospect of pleasuring the other. She rakes her teeth over Amethyst's lips, biting harder and more depraved. 

The need to ravage the smaller gem grows stronger, and soon her mouth is working down to Amethyst's neck, but just as soon as her mouth makes contact with the desired flesh, she is gently pushed back, to her displeasure. She contains a groan, wondering if she was getting too greedy. 

Amethyst, with darker color burning in her face, expresses a small grin. “You're getting pretty wild, P. You said you wanted to kiss me, not eat me.”

Pearl becomes aware of the distasteful amount of sweat collecting all over her, mostly her face, neck, back and between her thighs. Its disgustingly uncomfortable, yet...feels exhilarating somehow. 

“I'm sorry...” She breathes shakily. “Should I stop..?” 

Amethyst mulls for a moment, her grin fading. “I..I think that's a good idea.” She says weakly. Pearl immediately backs away.

“I'm sorry... I'm terrible at this.” Pearl assumes. 

Amethyst huffs. “Nah it ain't that, P.” She sinks back into the couch lazily. “I just don't want you to...get caught up in anything. You do that a lot...”

“I...how do you mean?” She probes, trying not to take it the wrong way.

“I mean like, it seems really exciting now, yeah, but how do I know you aren't just seizing the moment? Remember how Steven wanted to build that dumb space ship? You ran with it and you know how that ended. I could just be another ship for you and when I'm all used up you'll just--”

“That is not what I'm doing this time. You can hardly compare THAT to whats happening right now, Amethyst. You're not an object.” She says as-a-matter-of-factually. 

“Eh...look. How about we just take a break...see how you feel about it later. You could just be wound up right now.” Her eyes appear bored and distant. 

Whatever heat Pearl was experiencing slowly drains away. Amethyst might be right, but Pearl doesn't want to admit it. “Very well.” She replies almost sadly. “How long do I have to-- I mean, how long should I wait before...contacting you?” That was poorly worded. She clicks her tongue in disappointment at herself. 

Amethyst shrugs, facing the coffee table. When she opens her mouth, there's a sudden ringing noise coming from the kitchen. Pearl jumps at it, Amethyst seems unphased and not at all curious about it. When the ringing pauses and starts again, Pearl concludes that its the home phone. 

It almost never goes off, hence the confusion at the sound at first. She exhales, finding the distraction to be perfectly timed. She works over to it, hesitantly collecting it and raising it to her face.

“Uh...yes?” Pearl answers wearily.

“Oh! Steven!” She chirps, recognizing his voice on the other end. “Where are you now? Have you made it to your destination?” There's some static interference, but she's able to make out that they're currently at a hotel. 

“Mr. Maheswaran said we should arrive at Happyland tomorrow.” He sounds tired. Pearl squints at the name of the place they're headed.

“...Happy...land?” Pearl echoes.

“Yeah! It's a forest park. We're going camping for 3 days and then we're heading to some lake after that. What are you and Amethyst up to?”

“We're...cleaning! Yes. Cleaning. That's what we're doing. At 8 pm. Any time is the perfect time for cleaning.” She rambles. 

“Really? You got Amethyst to clean? Haha, that's weird. Uh...well, okay. Anyways, Garnet wanted me to call you, here I'll put her on.”

Pearl exhales, glancing to Amethyst who is now thumbing through the book Pearl was reading, seemingly entertained. Knowing Amethyst, she probably finds the lewd, porographic drawings shown on some of the walls to be funny. 

“Pearl.” Garnet's voice cuts in. Pearl fumbles around with the phone, having almost dropped it.

“Yes, Garnet?” She tries, not trying at all to mask her unease.

“I have something I need you and Amethyst to do. A mission. I need you two to head to the Thar Desert to retrieve the Black Orlov. I sense that someone else may be trying to find it. If a human unearths it before we do, it could cause trouble.” She says, as straight-forward as possible. Pearl nods.

“I see.” She replies nervously. “We'll get on that..right away.”

“What's wrong?” Garnet bids, not sounding too inquisitive. 

Pearl hums awkwardly. She wants to ask if this mission really requires two people, but with Amethyst sitting right there she has to skip over it. “Nothing!" She says with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Have fun on your trip!” 

And she hangs up the phone, a bit more aggressive than what was necessary. Leave it to Garnet to be the epitome of direct and brief conversations. She stares at the phone. Maybe she can just slink off onto the warp pad and leave Amethyst without telling her Garnet's message. 

“What was that about?” the gem in question calls from the couch, still idly paging through the book.

Pearl groans internally. Would they even be capable of performing adequate teamwork given the circumstances? She clears her throat. “Garnet...has assigned us a mission, in the Thar Desert. It's in India. I think there's a warp pad close by, in Kuldhara.” She states, bringing up a holographic projection of India from her gem. It shows the location of the seven different warp pads. She observes it tentatively.

“Greaaaaat.” She replies, sounding all but enthused. “Another desert? Maybe we'll meet another weird pink animal for Steven to adopt.” She jokes, getting up off the couch and stretching. As to how Amethyst can go back to being...normal after their little session is beyond Pearl. She squints, disabling the holograph. 

“Are you sure you're okay to go, Amethyst. I mean..I'm sure I could handle this on my--”

“P, the more awkward you act, the more awkward its gonna' be.” She interjects, scratching her hip idly and yawning. “Let's just do it, yo.” 

A train wreck happens in Pearl's mind. Maybe Amethyst is right. They just have to focus on the mission. No need to pay any mind to the...passionate affair that just happened. She tries to loosen up, stepping onto the warp pad. 

Amethyst joins her, yawning again. She wonders if Amethyst yawns out of habit or because she may be by some strange exigency, experiencing tiredness. She takes one last look at the room, mostly to the couch, the now dead fireplace and her unfinished tea. 

“Yo, you gonna warp or do you want me to play roulette with the several warp pads in India?” Amethyst pipes. Pearl shakes her head to snap out of her blunder. 

“Right. Sorry.” She replies. And the warp pad activates in a burst of light, transporting them out of the temple.


	4. Arc I -  Filth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they have sex in the guts of a dead spider (not really but please read anyways k)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

“Well at least its not hot...yet.” Amethyst observes. It's around early morning in India, as opposed to the encroaching nighttime of Beach City. 

She hops off of the warp pad, kicking up sand. The desert stretches on forever but actually has some pretty brittle-looking trees sparsely scattered around the landscape. Looking up, she sees millions of stars and celestial backdrop. No light pollution in this part of the Earth. She yawns again, the stars will soon be invisible because of the rising sun.

Pearl takes careful steps onto the sand, eyes dull and lidded. She glances to Amethyst, who's looking up with a certain disinterest. She fights the urge to stare, focusing ahead on the mission. 

“Did Garnet say where we'll find this thing? There's nothing out here.” 

“Uhh...no. She just said it was in this desert.” Pearl states, cursing internally at herself for not asking that on the phone. 

“That's reeeeeally helpful.” Amethyst croons negatively. “We could split up and dig up every inch of this place and it would take YEARS.” She groans, flopping onto her back. “Let's just go call Garnet and ask.”

“That won't be necessary.” Pearl says in her usual know-it-all tone, looking down at her teammate. “The Black Orlov is a diamond, a carbonized mineral. All we need is a spectrometer that can detect astronomical emissions, and fix it so that it will primarily pick up on carbon-based wavelengths.” She places a hand on her hip as the other rubs her chin pensively. “I doubt anywhere near...here, would be selling such advanced equipment.”

The more that Pearl seems to prattle on, the more spaced Amethyst becomes. Her focus is almost completely gone until a bright light emits from Pearl's gem. From it, she produces some weird looking box thing that honestly looks like a toy for children. 

“What are you gonna do with THAT thing?” She asks in spiritless tone. 

“Amethyst, were you listening AT ALL to what I was JUST saying?” Pearl drones. “This, is a Portable XRF Molecular Sensor.” She explains, the words go right over Amethyst's head. 

But Pearl continues. “With this, we can measure the different waves emitting from the desert and pinpoint the location of large...carbon based...frequencies. Forget it. It should give us some clues on where to find the Orlov.” She says tiredly, switching on the machine. “It's archaic though, I'm not sure how clear of results we can get.”

“Better than nothing, P.” Amethyst says. “At least you actually know what you're doing.” She folds her arms behind her head, getting comfortable in the sand. 

Pearl knows that Amethyst is upset. Something in her timbre. She's lived with Amethyst long enough to see these...infinitesimal behaviors. “Amethyst...if you don't want to be here...with me, I'd understand. You can go back to the temple, this shouldn't be too difficult to do on my own.” 

Amethyst doesn't respond. She only gets up and dusts herself off. Pearl fumbles with the controls on her meter, trying to adjust the spectrum to isolate carbon-based fields. As it does its own calibrations, she looks down to her teammate, who still looks...bored.

“Amethyst?” She tries. “Are we...are you okay?”

“Look, lets get things straight here. I like you. I've liked you for a really long time. You can't expect me to believe that you could return those feelings, just like that.” She says, surprisingly calm. “I'll be really freakin happy if by some cosmic coincidence, you end up liking me, too. But I'm not counting on it. And you shouldn't feel bad if you end up not liking me, okay?”

Pearl smiles weakly. Wanting to hug Amethyst but subduing the impulse. 

“And yeah I guess I'm gonna' be sad about it...but whatever, I'll get over it. So for now, lets just focus on finding this dumb gem junk, 'kay?”

“Okay.” Pearl accepts, looking back down to the spectrometer. She will have to save her brooding and inner-assessment for another time. Right now they have a gem to find. It beeps, showing 0 results for carbon within the 100 foot radius around them. “We'll have to keep walking. I'm not getting any readings in this location. I don't think it's out in the plains, but in that decrepit-looking temple.” She asserts, pointing to a secluded hamlet far off in the distance. Like...way far out. 

“Couldn't the the warp pad be built, I dunno'...closer?” Amethyst grumbles. 

“It may have been built back when the place still contained a primitive human civilization. Gem workers were told to keep warp pads in secluded uninhabited locations only. Primitive man was very vocal about their disdain for the...invasion...” Pearl explains, once again showing off her infinite knowledge of everything. 

Amethyst smiles and rolls her eyes. “Know-it-all.” And she starts off towards the hamlet, Pearl follows suit, smiling tenderly. For some reason she liked it when Amethyst teased her about being knowledgeable about things.

* * *

The spectrometer make a series of beeps, and a mass of yellow appears on the small screen in her hand.

“I'm getting a reading.” Pearl announces. They've reached the base of the ruins. It's decaying and falling apart, but not enough that Pearl can't appreciate the grandeur of the architecture. She runs her hands along the crumbling brick walls, wondering how long it's been uninhabited. “You know, I read somewhere that this place is a haunted tourist attraction in the winter months.”

“Greaaaaaat.” Amethyst drags. 

“Well, that is according to the human conception of unexplained events that occurred here. I'm guessing it has something to do with the Orlov being contained here.” she concludes. They begin scaling the winding stairs leading into the core of the village. “We should be careful. Garnet said that there may be other creatures trying to obtain it. Probably humans. They just can't leave well enough alone.”

“They must be pretty dull if they think anything interesting is gonna happen here.” Amethyst observes, punching a wall and watching it collapse.

“Amethyst! Be careful! You have no clue how unstable this structure might be!” Pearl squawks. Amethyst grins. 

“Yeah yeah, I'll try to keep these guns locked up.” She concedes, flexing her arms and kissing one of them.

Pearl grunts a little, and turns back to the device. They're getting closer to the concentration of carbon. They wander through several walled enclosures, almost like a maze, until they reach the main temple, a rectangular building with an impressive, yet just as degraded dome with a spire on top. 

“Well, I'm gonna go ahead and guess that its in there somewhere.” Amethyst sighs, staring up and taking in the sight of the dusty-looking complex. Pearl agrees silently. 

Her gem glows again, to provide a light source akin to a flashlight. 

“Try to stay close to me. We don't know what is down here.” Pearl says quietly.

“Whatever, P, you just wanna cop a feel.” Amethyst accuses jokingly. Following behind her slender teammate. 

The corridor is too narrow for them to walk side by side. Almost immediately after they descend a set of stairs into the temple, they are met with a wall that divides into two hallways going right and left. 

“Typical.” Pearl scoffs, looking down each one with her gem glow. The light doesn't stretch far enough to tell whats at the end of each one. “Well we're NOT splitting up. I say we go left.” 

“What if I wanna go right?” Amethyst teases. She smiles and starts to head in that direction. 

“Alright, then we'll go your way.” She agrees.

“Wait, what? Seriously?” She stops, turning to look at the other gem.

“...Is... Is that a problem?” Pearl asks, folding her brows suspiciously, tilting her head in a way that Amethyst finds cute. 

“No...you're just usually really stuck in your own ways.” She says flatly. “But a'ight. Let's go.” Amethyst starts down the corridor, Pearl following close behind, her gem light guiding the way.

They hang a left at the next corner, dull-glowing orange gemstones lining the hallway. 

“I'm guessing we're going in the right direc-- whOA.” She yells, quickly stepping backwards and colliding with the taller gem. 

'What is it Amethyst?” Pearl asks, unphased by the sudden contact. 

“I don't know, I stepped on a switch or something. Or maybe the floor is just falling apart.” She rationalizes. That is until hundreds of small specs start crawling out from the cracks in the brick walls. Upon closer inspection by Pearl, she sees that they are spiders. 

“Good thing Steven isn't here. He would pee his pants.” Amethyst concurs with a snicker, stepping on a few of them.

Pearl laughs a little. “That, and they're poisonous from the looks of it.” Fortunately, neither of them have to worry about death by toxins. She swats a few off of her legs and out of Amethyst's hair. “Let's proceed...with caution.” She adds. “Watch where you step.”

This time, Amethyst allows her gem to glow, adding a bit more light to the passageway. “Yeah yeah, I got it.” 

After several flights of descending stairs, the passageways look less and less decorated, fewer bricks and more cave-like tunnels. Spider webs grow thicker and thicker, and the faint orange gemstones becoming more dense in population. If there were any traps to be triggered, they would have found them by now. The tunnel stretches on and on for several hundred meters. 

As Amethyst cuts down another huge spider web with her whip, Pearl looks down at her spectrometer. 

“We should be right on top of it according to the readings. Maybe this is malfunctioning...” She decides, tapping the screen with her fingers to see if it would help give better readings. 

“Uh, P.” Amethyst grunts. “Whatever is down here obviously doesn't want visitors.” 

Pearl looks up from the meter to find Amethyst struggling to tear her whip from the thick mass of spiderwebs blocking the passage. Amethyst growls and tugs as hard as she can, only to lose her grip on the handle and fly backwards, knocking Pearl down with her. The spectrometer flies out of her hand and crashes into a wall before tumbling a few feet away. 

Instinctively she wraps her arms around the smaller gem as she observes the tangled mess of sticky webs that claimed Amethyst's weapon. 

“I think it's safe to assume that the monster is an arachnid of some kind.” She says quietly. “I guess we'll have the burn through them.” She concludes.

Amethyst makes a noise that seems like agreement. Pearl realizes that she's been holding Amethyst for an obscene amount of time and quickly lets go, standing up and dusting herself off. Amethyst stands up after her. 

“Do you got a lighter in that big ol' gem of yours?” She asks, mimicking a southern accent before shaking her head vapidly to get the dirt out of her hair. Pearl hums positively as she produces a set of matches from her forehead. 

“...It's not that big.” Pearl denies, striking a match several times until it lights.

“I was kidding, P, your gem is small and cute.” She says in a tone that pearl would find mocking if she didn't actually see Amethyst's face. 

“Hrm.” She sets the match down to the webs and it starts to eat through a small area. She strikes several more matches and sets them to different areas in the entanglement. This makes little to no progress.

“It's not working.” Amethyst observes bluntly.

“I can see that.” Pearl responds, dejected.

“Don't you have a flamethrower in there somewhere? Why would you store something as useless as matches?” Amethyst questions, squinting to the other.

A look of frustration paints Pearl's face. “I stored those in there long before 'flamethrowers' were a concept. It's the only thing I have, aside from some flint rock and a piece of steel, but I think it's too damp down here to even attempt that...”

“Alright then, stand aside, lil miss, this looks like a job for a spin-dash.” She says arrogantly, cracking her knuckles loudly.

“Amethyst that's a horrible idea, you could get stuck in there. You have no idea how long the tunnel or webs goes on for.”

“You got a better idea, nerd?” She retaliates, canting up at the slender gem.

Pearl grunts a little. “Well, no, but we could go back and--”

“Oh no. No no no. I am not walking all the way back up those stairs and through the desert empty handed.” She claims, throwing her hands up in the air for dramatic effect.

“Amethyst, lets be...cautious here. There has to be a less...abrasive way of doing this.” Pearl bargains, weaving her fingers together importunately. 

“But Pearl, if I get stuck in the webs I'll be completely vulnerable. You're into that kinda thing aren't you?” She asks flatly with a predatory smile. “Being dominant?”

Pearl fumes as her face lights up. “Amethyst! This is hardly the time for--”

“Aw c'mon, P, lighten up. I'm doing it and that's final.”

Pearl relents with a sigh, stepping back a good distance to give her teammate space. She takes notice of the now broken spectrometer on the ground, frowning at the loss of the device. Then, crosses her arms, finding the corridor's dank and arid atmosphere to be unpleasant and cramped. Before she has time to notice, debris, like rocks and shredded web material are being flung everywhere from the chaos caused by Amethyst's wild veracity. Out of instinct, Pearl ducks down for cover. 

“Some warning next time would be great.” She mumbles, knowing Amethyst can't hear. 

Within seconds, Amethyst has managed to tunnel through the thick material despite Pearl's apprehension. It seems to have worked fine. She can hear Amethyst calling from the other end of the tunnel, so she proceeds through the freshly carved passage with caution. Shreds of web sticking to her feet, she cringes, finding this experience to only get worse as they go lower. 

“See, that was way easier.” Amethyst comments, dispelling the patches of web on her body with a bit of magic. 

“Yes, good thinking.” Pearl agrees, slightly disgusted at the web debris that hits and clings onto her legs. She brushes them away quickly. “Now where are we?” She asks no one in particular. Her light isn't enough to see the entire space they're in, but it seems like a large dome given the curvature of the walls. 

“Wait, did you hear something?” Amethyst chimes quietly. Pearl listens to the expanse around them, hearing nothing significant. 

“Uh, no. Why? What did you hear?”

“Nevermind, it was probably nothing.” She decides, taking a few steps forward and observing the limited surroundings, she continues further. 

Pearl, thinking that Amethyst is following her, proceeds to the right, quietly summoning her spear and take methodical steps. There are thin columns of disgusting webs descending from the ceiling, creating the appearance of speleothems. She shutters at this and steers clear of them. As she proceeds further, the columns become more and more numerous, and grander in size. 

“This is disgusting.” Pearl mentions. “Try not to get stuck on them, Amethyst.” 

When she doesn't get a response, she whips around, seeing that she is alone. She wants to call out to her teammate, but also doesn't want to risk attracting the wrong attention. She doesn't know if they are really alone in here. Despite her desire to remain quiet, she no sooner hears Amethyst calling for her from somewhere else in the cavern.

She grunts and slaps her forehead lightly, hearing Amethyst call her name again. Followed by a loud shuffling sound and a heavy thud that knocks her off balance. She lands against one of the web pillars, getting stuck for only a moment before prying herself off. 

“Amethyst?!” She yells, knowing that the noise couldn't have came from the other gem. 

There is no response. She calls out again only to be greeted with an eerie echo, followed by silence. Aimlessly, she begins weaving between the columns, searching for her teammate, calling over and over to no effect. Her gem light is maxed out on brightness and she feels like she's been running in circles already. 

“Amethyst!” She howls. It echoes off the walls of the cave. 

There's another rumbling noise, followed by what sounds like an inhuman screeching. She repeats her call, now running in the direction of the noise. The combination of damp air and her cold sweat is a horrid combination, but she presses forward, stumbling a few times and getting whatever filth coating the ground onto her hands and knees. 

The disgusting web pillars seem to be grabbing for her at this point, though she knows its just a hallucination, formed from her panicked and erratic behavior and desperate state of mind. She calls out one more time.

It echoes. The exact opposite response she wanted.

But then she hear name being called. Amethyst. She's close. 

Following the sounds of a skirmish, she comes into a clearing. She's about to call out again, but before she knows whats even going on, she's hit hard in the abdomen by something and thrown back into a pillar, glued and held in place by the adhesive-like material. Her spear drops to the floor, whatever it was, it was as thick as an old oak tree and several times as hard. 

Were she human, the wind would have been knocked out of her and she'd be suffering from broken ribs. Her immediate thought is of Amethyst. Had she been poofed or worse by now? She gathers the sensibility to look up at the darkness, greeted by eight bright orange eyes. This must be the Orlov, or a manifestation of it at the very least. Pearl peels herself away from the column, grabbing her spear and throwing it without thinking. It must have yielded a hit, as the creature lets out an ear-piercing screech. 

“Amethyst?!” She tries again as the monster is distracted. 

“Yeah, what up?” A voice says to her left. 

“AMETHYST!” She repeats, but with a scolding tone. Running to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. “Where have you been?!”

“Uh, I've been dealing with that thing until you came along. I took off two of it's legs already haha. Check out this goo I got on me.” She gestures to her clothes, covered in some strange amber liquid, like honey. 

“Legs? So it IS a spider.” She says, approving of her assumptions from earlier, ignoring Amethyst's proud collection of grime on her exterior. 

“Yeah yeah, okay, you can brag later. I weakened it, y'know? You just ran off and left me!”

Pearl huffs hotly, now becoming aware of the pain in her back and abdomen. “I thought you were following me!” She wipes the sweat away from her face, which in effect only smears with the dirt from her hand. Amethyst says nothing about it, but finds the image of her filthy team mate to be somewhat arousing. 

“Mmm, okay well, it's coming again so...” She trails off, slipping out of Pearl's grip and jumping past her. Pearl spins around, seeing Amethyst summon a whip mid-jump and ensnaring one of the monster's front legs. 

She makes short work of this. Tucking, rolling and growling, yanking so hard that it literally snaps the leg in half, sending more amber liquid everywhere. 

“Top that, P.” Amethyst yells, grinning and standing atop the severed limb, like a hunter posing with their prize. 

Pearl narrows her eyes and frowns. Really? This is just a game to her?

“Watch me!” She replies, accepting the challenge.

The creature yells again, and Pearl takes the opportunity to summon two more spears, running headlong at the agonizing monster. Using lithe movements of her own, she swiftly takes a running slide to get underneath the beast, shoving her spear straight up into it's gut. She is quickly met with the disgusting after-effects, amber liquor secreting from the wound and directly onto her face and body. Despite this, she crams one more into it for good measure. More nasty fluid is released.

“Augh, disgusting.” She groans, wiping her face with the back of her hand and leaving her spears in place, she rolls out from under it. She's never felt so disgusted in her life, covered in...whatever this slime is, dirt, sweat and web shavings. It's even matted in her hair like glue. 

The spider struggles for a moment, and collapses, causing the ground to shake again. The ceiling of the cavern releases more rubble from the effectual tremors. She watches with a certain sense of accomplishment. Then sees Amethyst quickly vault herself up and on top of the spider, stomping on it a few times. 

“Amethyst get down from there! It's not dead yet!” She calls.

“Might as well be.” She responds aggressively, summoning another whip. 

Pearl watches closely as Amethyst makes her way to its upper back. She then quickly wraps her whip around the beast's neck, tightening it with a strong yank. 

It responds immediately, struggling to break free, shrieking and screaming while it struggles to stand up with only 5 legs left over. Amethyst is clearly determined. So much so that Pearl is notably disturbed at the savage act. Disturbed, impressed and...some other feeling she can't quite describe. With several more tugs, the head cracks and detaches, falling to the ground with an empty thud. It's eyes stop glowing soon-after.

“I think I won this one, P.” She states, hopping down off the beast. 

It's body, and severed parts all poof in sequence, leaving behind a coal-black gem midst all the gruesome amber slurry.

“Is this it? Is this what we came for?!” Amethyst laments, bending over and picking it up. “It's so small!”

“We need to bubble it immediately.” Pearl comments. 

“Yeah yeah. But aren't you a little bit miffed that it's so tiny? I was expecting something the size of Steven.” She groans, disappointed. 

Pearl gracefully takes the Black Orlov, bubbling it back to the temple. “At least it's over. Now we can go home. And I can shower.”

“Uhh, can't you just expel it...like how I did earlier with the webs?” Amethyst points out. 

She sighs. “Yes. But for some reason, bathing just seems to leave me feeling cleaner.” Pearl responds, trying not to look at the mess she covered in. “That, and something about the hot water is calming.”

'Whatevs. Let's just get out of here. This place is creeping me out.” Amethyst shutters, grabbing Pearl by the hand and leading her in whatever direction she thinks is the way out.


	5. Arc I - Smooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

In a flash of light, the two gems appear back in the temple, both looking absolutely awful and filthy.

“That was pretty cool when you got under it and stabbed it, and all the guts and junk exploded on you.” Amethyst admits with genuine excitement. “It's cool seeing you get dirty for a change.”

Pearl takes this as a compliment, and blushes accordingly. “Thanks...”

They're quiet for a moment, and Pearl, not willing to let things get too award, corrects the darkness in the room by flicking on the lights.

“...Well, anyways, I'm sure Garnet will be pleased to hear that the mission went...smoothly.” Pearl decides out loud as she steps off of the warp pad.

Amethyst blinks unevenly, clearly exhausted. It's 2 A.M., after all. “You call that smoothly?” Amethyst pangs. “Look at yourself, P.” She cackles, looking her teammate up and down slowly; observing the stains, dirt, web bits, scratches, tears in her clothes, and miscellaneous substances littering Pearl's body.

“Okay. It may have been a bit...chaotic. But it was successful, regardless. No one was hurt. Also, you don't look any better.” Pearl replies flatly. “Why haven't you cleaned yourself off yet?” She adds, observing the shorter one in the same manner.

“You're not the only one who likes bathing, y'know.” Amethyst shrugs. “I'll wait until you're done. I'm gonna go nap.” She yawns, starting towards her room.

On the inside, Pearl suggests they bathe together and wash each other, but she shutters and slaps the thought away. How vulgar... On the outside, she simply nods and goes her separate way to the wash room.

As soon as the door is closed behind her, it turns off like a switch. The excitement and focus the mission gave her is now beginning to fade, and her darker reflections are taking over. But she's not willing to let go of that excitement just yet. What she WANTS to do is go into Amethyst's room and have...disgusting...filthy...sweaty make outs. No shower included... Would that be too impulsive?

Pearl kneels and turns on the bath faucet. Warm water begins to stream.

Would Amethyst push her away? Tell her that she's being too desperate?

A pressure wells up in her chest. Is she actually going to cry about this? Or is this something else? She observes the water, pooling, swirling, generating a quiet intensity. She compares it to the feeling inside her. It feels like...a strong, spiraling impulse. A desire.

Pearl rubs her gem, clenching her eyes shut. No. She has to give Amethyst her space. It's what she asked for. To give her time.

Then again, it HAS technically been 6 earth hours since then. That's enough time right? That's 1/4th of an Earth rotation. That's plenty of time. Yes. She needs to take action right now.

Right. Now.

She inhales, collecting herself and shutting off the bath tap.

But she's quick to argue with herself as soon as she reaches for the door handle.

No. I'm being hasty. Bathe, she tells herself. The tap is turned back on.

How can Amethyst nap at a time like this? Does she even want Pearl to reciprocate her feelings? She seems so cold and aloof about the whole thing. Then again, Pearl is known to be neurotic, and to over-think things that in actuality are rather simple, Amethyst may very well be expressing normal behavior.

Her clothes phase off of her body, disappearing as they hit the floor. The muck in her hair is so uncomfortable. She shunts at the idea of even touching whatever mess is matted to her. With a bit of self-indulgence, she produces some candles from her gem, as well as the matches, and lights several around the bathroom for what humans call 'ambiance'. Bathing for her has less to do with actual hygiene and more to do with relaxing, after all.

She lowers herself into the water, sighing with contentment. Her muscles relax in the intense heat and she feels herself soften considerably.

Blissful. Quiet. Warm. It would be perfect were it not for the conflicting feelings she's been dealing with all day. She hasn't felt even the slightest ache for romance in such a long time... Not since Rose. Not to say that whatever she has for Amethyst is anywhere close to that kind of love, but the fact that she is experiencing a romantic sensation at all feels...good, but also wrong. Like she's betraying the memory of her love for Rose. And they are so much different in comparison to the other. Amethyst is so...loud, brash, obnoxious, loose, out of control, and...vulgar. Rose was...well, Rose. She shuns the thought away.

Pearl sinks into the bathwater further, closing her eyes.

To be so consumed by the thought of someone so easily. For her entire perspective of Amethyst to be flipped upside down over something as small as kissing. Does this mean her vision is becoming blurred? Are her feelings for Amethyst real, or are they an impulse, a desire for affection after having been restrained and alone for so long...

Unless she figures things out she just knows that this will at some point down the road have repercussions.

* * *

Much like how a computer resets itself to install updates, or restore itself to a previous state, Pearl emerges from the washroom, steam rolling out into the cool living room and dancing across the floor before dissipating quietly. She is refreshed, physically, and partially cured of her mental contentions. She doesn't know how long she'd been in the bath but it must have been quite some time, as she comes to be in front of her teammate, sitting on the warp pad expectantly several feet from the door.

“Did you fall asleep in there?” She prates, looking passed Pearl to see dozens of candles still burning around the bathtub.

“Amethyst, you know I don't 'sleep'.” Pearl replies haughtily, noticing the perplexed look on the other's face as she observes the absurd amount of candles. “And...those were just for aesthetic purposes.” She adds.

“Uh-huh, yeah, okay. Sure, P.” Amethyst grants with blatant sarcasm, moving towards the room in question.

“I can remove them if they make you uncomfortable. Then again, maybe I should do it anyways, given your hazardous propensities towards open flames.” She suggests, watching her as she leaves.

Amethyst only stops to turn and make an inappropriately mocking face before carrying on, closing the door behind her. Pearl can't help but smile.

* * *

“Man, how come Garnet gets to go camping while we're stuck here? It should be the other way around. I mean, she's the one who knows and decides when to go on missions.” Amethyst grumbles, plopping back onto the couch after her bath. Pearl is reading her book again.

“I'm sure she had a valid reason. Maybe she has her own mission near the campsite that isn't accessible by warp pad.” She rationalizes, turning the page swiftly to avoid looking at primitive, vulgar illustrations depicting human intercourse.

“Or they're totally having fun without us. And eating those smore things while Greg and Steven play their guitars around a campfire.” She broods, stealing Pearl's book right out of her hands and flipping through it herself. “And you're just sitting here reading boring crap about a place that you could just go to.”

That's sort of true, Pearl thinks to herself. “I suppose. But I only have a basic understanding of ancient Latin, I wouldn't be able to read the...interesting things marked on the walls.”

“I don't think you need to be able to read this picture of a horse riding a human...oh wait.” She squints, focusing on the picture. “Or maybe that's a goat.”

Pearl reclaims the book from her teammate, clearing her throat. “I'm not reading it for the explicit frescoes.” She snaps, clearly embarrassed as told by the creeping shade of blue in her face.

“Uh, I think humans have laws against doing those things with animals, anyways, P. Sorry to break it to ya.” Amethyst sighs, grinning.

Pearl groans.

“Don't you have something else to do? Like sleep?” Pearl sighs, finding it difficult to engage Amethyst in normal conversation when all she wants to do is pin her to the couch and depose her. She shivers at her own savage thought processes.

“Nope. I already napped.”

“Well...what do you want?” She asks, closing her book and giving the other her undivided attention.

“I'm bored.” She sighs.

“That was an answer to a question I didn't ask.” Pearl says flatly. “You could do something productive. Like clean that mess you call a room.”

“And like I have told you like...a gazillion times, I have a system! It's not a mess if I know where everything is.”

“Oh, please, gazillion isn't even a number, Amethyst. And if you did have a so-called 'system', you would know where to find my swords that keep miraculously disappearing into your cave.”

“Jeez, Pearl, do you like, get off on correcting and criticizing me?! I know what numbers are!” She leers, now standing up on the couch and facing her teammate with a clear and present irritation. “And I've explained to you that it's that wonky way you store those dumb swords in water. They just get dumped into my room.”

“...Get off?” She echoes, not familiar with the phrase. She squints for a moment and shrugs the confusion away. “Can you please calm down, you're getting riled up over nothing.” She explains, returning the other's anger with seemingly cool and collected exterior.

The fact is, she's fighting the urge to just grab Amethyst and bite those tempting lips until they're bruised and sore. Is that a normal impulse? Probably not. Her face is getting hot, and her gem begins to feel a certain imminence that she must try to extinguish. She edges away slightly from Amethyst, to create a more sustainable distance.

This gesture does not go unnoticed, and what was once the look of acrimony soon becomes intrigue. “Oh wow. You DO get off on this!” She grins. “You're all worked up and flustered, P. That's kind of janky, even for you.” She chides, stepping closer to bridge the desperate gap that Pearl tried to make.

“You keep saying 'get off on' and I honestly have no idea what that means. I'm not ON anything!” Pearl tapers, leaning away from the other. A feeling starts to bubble in her chest that she can't quite make sense of. 

“You know, you enjoy picking at me and getting in arguments. You get some weird pleasure out of it.” Amethyst explains with a knowing grin. “That's what getting off is. Which you totally do.”

“That doesn't even make any sense.” Pearl counters, digging her fingers tips into the book in her lap as if to keep them grounded from doing anything questionable. “And please don't stand on the couch, I just scrubbed the cushions no more than a week ago because you spilled cranberry juice on it. Remember?”

“Huh, I'm not that surprised, to be honest. You're really uptight all the time. I bet you like releasing that tension by nagging at me.” She crosses her arms, adopting a smug behavior that only adds to the growing contention.

“I don't nag.” Pearl denies firmly. “I just offer...guidance that you're never receptive to unless I repeat myself or raise my voice until you listen, which is almost never.”

“Okay. That's nagging. You just described nagging, P.”

“Ugh, you're being so difficult. What are we even arguing about?! If you're bored, you can surely find something better to do than drive me crazy with your...wild accusations.” She reasons.

Amethyst doesn't retaliate with more witty banter. She just stands on the couch, arms crossed, giving Pearl a deliberately smug look.

She detests this...attitude. Amethyst appears so satisfied and secure in her assumptions, which pushes Pearl over the edge of being complacent any further. Keeping her eyes locked with Amethyst's, she throws the book off of her lap, it hits the wood floor with a loud thud. The tension between them snaps as Pearl seizes the other by the shirt straps, and taking purchase over Amethyst's lips in a heated mess of anger and lust. The hunger is undeniable, her own lips dragging over Amethyst's passionately. Biting and licking them with insatiable greed, which thankfully Amethyst seems receptive to; her arms unfolding to fasten a strong grip onto Pearl's waist, and pushing them down so that Pearl complies to laying on her back.

The sudden and passionate intimacy causes Pearl to shiver, and sigh quietly against the other's mouth, who replies with a coy smile and a soft laugh. Pearl can feel herself melting, her hands weakening their hold onto Amethyst's straps and slipping up to claim her shoulders. Being like this, on her back, obediently allowing the smaller Gem to call the shots gives her a certain thrill.

Small hands crawl up Pearl's sides, making her shiver again. To be touched in such a way is exhilarating, to say the least. It's been so long since she'd been touched or shown physical affection. She responds positively with a slow, paltry roll of her hips against Amethyst's, encouraging her to keep going.

Her lips pull away but for a moment only to come back for more. Aggression becomes caution, treating Amethyst's lips with precise and gentle kisses as if afraid to scare her off again. It's small at first, the tip of Amethyst's tongue just barely flicking over Pearl's lips. She hesitates, knowing what the gesture implies, but wondering if she's comfortable with it.

There is a pause, kissing is halted. Pearl anticipates that this could be over, and that Amethyst might withdraw the affection. Her grip tightens over the other's shoulders, as a silent plea for her not to leave. Not to let this end yet.

And then there is a soft hand, arresting her chin. She locks eyes with Amethyst, who exudes a silent craving. There are no words to be exchanged, their lips meet again, feverishly begging each other for sentiments they can't express quite yet. The hand on Pearl's chin urges her to open her mouth, which she falters with at first, but eventually complies. Amethyst, aware of the other's caution, is sure to be respectful in this new experience.

“Are you okay with this?” Amethyst asks in a low voice. Pearl only nods and swallows dryly, finding that any words she tries to offer just ends up getting caught in her throat. She's also incredibly contented that Amethyst asked for permission before doing something...new.

She is slow, gracing Pearl's bottom lip with fleeting kisses. Amethyst introduces her tongue, treading lightly passed the other's lips and exploring Pearl's mouth tactfully, careful not to startle her with anything too aggressive. Pearl is, at first, unreceptive and numb to the sensation. Unsure of how she's meant to reciprocate the gesture. Her body tenses up, all her focus being applied to the consensual invasion of her mouth. Amethyst's tongue, is as she'd imagined, hot, slick, and wet. And despite her prior fears of it being revolting, she is pleasantly surprised, and aroused at the sensation. It grazes against the roof of her mouth, eventually rolling against her own tongue, encouraging for her to play along. She eventually relaxes beneath Amethyst, playfully grating and biting her tongue and moaning quietly in approval.

It's messy. She's sweating, her hair is frayed and disheveled, and she's slightly embarrassed at the amount of saliva being produced between them. But she decidedly approves of french-kissing, and approves of this intimacy. Pearl tangles her legs around Amethyst, deepening the kiss, wanting more.

It is as if she'd been traveling in the hottest, driest desert for years, and finally being graced with cool, refreshing rainfall. Had she been thirsty this whole time? Thirsty, and unaware of the raging monsoon that is Amethyst, who has been here, right in front of her for so long?

All of the contention and arguing between them, was it a longing in disguise? An outlet of anger when all she really needed, and craved, was an outlet for romance? She is now sure, more than anything, that she's found what she didn't know she was looking for.

When Amethyst retracts her tongue, Pearl is admittedly disappointed, but quickly satiated with delightful kisses to her lips, and across her jawline. She sighs, submitting to the pleasure and tilting her head back as in invitation for more.

And then the loud crash of thunder outside causes her to startle and jolt beneath Amethyst, who cackles . “What's wrong Pierogi? You're not afraid, are ya?”

“I most certainly am not afraid of the weather.” She denies, flustered at the interruption. The lights flicker after another loud bang echoes outside. She hopes that the power gets cut off from the storm, its one of those small things she appreciates from time to time. Amethyst wears a small grin, gently teasing a finger down Pearl's neck before softly pressing her lips to its center.

She shivers under the new contact, finding it exquisite, but unfortunately, sensitive. She giggles innocently, trying to push Amethyst away. “Th-that tickles, Amethyst. Q-quit it!” But the more she struggles, the more adamant Amethyst becomes, blowing softly onto Pearl's skin, only igniting more laughter and desperate pleas for her to “Desist!”

Then there's nibbling, gentle at first, but quickly turning into hard, aggressive biting, to which Pearl tries to keep quiet about, but fails miserably.

She moans. Loud.

Quickly, Pearl covers her mouth, embarrassed at her own vocalizations.

Amethyst withdraws, looking down at Pearl with what seems like surprise, and curiosity.

Pearl, from behind her hand, mumbles 'sorry', not knowing if that was...appropriate. She'd never really moaned like that. Ever. Thunder claps again outside, and she jumps.

“Dang, P...” Amethyst says, seemingly confounded. She sits up, straddling Pearl's waist. “I didn't know you could even make those kinds of sounds.” She laughs a little, crossing her arms.

“I...I didn't mean to.” She contends, blush creeping onto her face. “It just..slipped out.”

“Man its not a bad thing, chill out. I'm just messing with you.”

Pearl exhales, using the opportunity to wipe the sweat off her face and around her gem. Amethyst observes quietly.

“So, how was it?” She pries, climbing off of Pearl and claiming the end of the sectional to sprawl out on. Pearl quells a groan, disliking the sudden separation from the other Gem.

“I...it was...” She fumbles, feeling her hair, which is indeed messy. She blushes from embarrassment, feeling so naive and foolish for getting so carried away. “How am I meant to answer that?”

Amethyst scrunches her brows and stares at Pearl. “Wh...Did you like it or not?! Damn, Pearl it's not that hard of a question.” She laughs. Pearl begins nervously smoothing out her hair.

“It was...lovely.” She admits, blushing harder. But she wonders if maybe the whole thing was just Amethyst having fun, or teasing. She'd like to believe that it was a genuine display of affection, but from how Amethyst is acting now, she finds it hard to believe. Her behavior is relaxed...seemingly noncommittal. She sighs, folding her hands in her lap. “I'm sorry.” She admits quietly.

“What? Why?

“Because this is...wrong. You asked for space, and I violated that request.” She says plainly. The storm continues outside, rolling quietly before releasing loud crashes of thunder and lightning. The wind is strong now, wailing as it pushes against the house.

Amethyst emits a noise, mixed between a sigh and a groan. “It's not that big of a deal. It's not like it meant anything, anyways.”

Pearl frowns and looks away with a disheartened sigh. So Amethyst was just playing around. She hates this. Being confused and given mixed signals. But she's too dejected to argue at this point. She feels hurt.

Without another word, she removes herself from the couch, picking up the discarded book she tossed away earlier, and retreats to her room.

When the door closes, Amethyst groans, facepalming. “Smooth...”

 


	6. Arc I - Wyartite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rock gets eaten by rocks and another rock cries basically

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

_'It's not like it meant anything.'_

A body hits the sand, creating a cloud of powder. The form cracks and bursts into hundreds of pieces. 

_'It's not like it meant anything.'_

Starting to breathe heavier, feeling the stimulation of adrenaline, she increases the intensity of her spar; switching from spear to sword and summoning more holograms from her gem. She slides effortlessly through the sand, driving her sword through another, taking a certain joy from stabbing the image of herself and feeling it explode. She is quick to bow, avoiding an oncoming assault and stealing the balance out from underneath another projection. It lands on its back, and before having a chance to regain fortitude, Pearl's blade is thrust downward, pinning the vulnerable form by it's chest into the softened earth. It glitches and erupts fantastically.

_'It's not like it meant anything.'_

This phrase keeps repeating and hijacking Pearl's train of thought. She knows it to be a lie-- something Amethyst said just to convince herself. Kissing doesn't just happen. Kissing never means nothing.

Then again, Pearl also knows very little about the gesture, having only kissed Rose before now. And that was only during fusion ceremony...

Another hologram of herself hits the ground, shattering and dissipating. She's been sparing on the beach for some time now. It's noon, and Amethyst hasn't shown hide or hair since their...circumstance early this morning. It's 6 days left until Steven and Garnet returns from their 'Spring Break'. She would like to have this fiasco resolved by then, but she has to catch Amethyst first...

“Hrrmm...” Pearl grunts, stabbing through another hologram, through the forehead. It shatters as well. She turns towards the beach house, wondering if it'd be safe to go inside. Not that she is afraid, per say, but she'd rather put off an encounter for now. At least until she can decide what it is that SHE wants out of this situation. Perhaps time will only tell in this position.

She hears a sound, far off at first, but its growing. She steers her gaze further along the beach and notices something in the distance. A car. She cancels out all remaining holograms, and dismisses her sword, starting towards the vehicle in question. 

It's one of the daughters from the pizza place that Steven frequents, Jenny. She pulls up along side Pearl, relaxed and aloof, reminding her of Amethyst. The radio in the car is playing some awful mixture of instruments, but Jenny turns it down as she approaches closer.

“Hey Peeeearl.” She greets, smiling and giving a lazy wave. “How y'all doin'?” She keens, thumbing through her phone screen for something. “Steven tried calling the house, but no one was answering. He says it's urgent? He's been blowing up my phone all morning to get a hold of you guys.” 

Pearl absorbs the words. She's been out on the beach since 9 A.M., so she'd obviously missed the calls. As to why Amethyst would ignore it, she could only imagine. Lazy. She has the mental image of her team mate, slouching on the couch reading a magazine while the phone rings off the hook. She sighs. 

“Oh, my mistake. Thank you, uh...Jenny.” She replies awkwardly. It's so strange conversing with Steven's friends when he isn't present. “But I don't have the number to reach him at.”

Jenny releases a cackle, that again, reminds Pearl of Amethyst. “You really need to get your own phone, yo. How do you live like that?” She reaches into the vehicle's passenger-side, bringing out a grease-stained notebook and a pen with Fish-Stew Pizza's logo on it and jotting something down. 

“Your kind relies heavily on the cycle of work-currency-purchase. None of us gem warriors' require the objects that work pays for. Such as groceries and electricity, so naturally we do not have to work for the expendable income on which to buy those things, much less a cellular communication device. Our 'full-time' job is protecting humanity from external forces of danger in the Universe. We don't get paid to do that, though.” She explains frankly, crossing her arms. Jenny finishes what she's writing and tears the page free.

“Right, yeah, I get you. You aliens don't need all that junk. But Steven does!” She laughs sprightly, handing the page to Pearl. “Just think about it.”

Pearl accepts the paper, squinting at the numbers that are written in a bubbly sort of way. She admires the style of her calligraphy. “I suppose you're right.” She admits passively. “Thank you for the message.”

Jenny nods, and just as quickly as she came, she left, the scent of pizza lingering in the air. Pearl is revolted at the odor, cringing as she watches the delivery car drudge along the beach. As to what Steven is trying to reach them for, she guesses is because Garnet has another mission for them. 

With a meditated inhale and exhale, Pearl heads towards the house, number in hand.

* * *

Expecting the house to be empty was a mistake. Amethyst is sprawled out on the counter, phone in hand, speaking to someone. How many times has Pearl told Amethyst not to sit on the table surfaces in Steven's room? Too many times.

“With all that noise he makes in his room, then you and Yellow Tail could get away with pretty much _anything!_ Or are you guys getting to old and nasty for that?” She cackles, twirling the phone cord around her fingers, failing to acknowledge her team mate who stands in the door way.

Pearl is immediately infuriated...and probably _jealous_. So they missed the calls because the line was busy. She pinches the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache begin to surface. But she doesn't dare interrupt, not now. She heads back out onto the porch and takes a seat, deciding that patience is important.

The conversation inside goes on for another 20 minutes before ending, by then, Pearl is almost too comfortable in the sun's rays to get up. But the grease-stained paper in her hand urges her to do so anyways. She exhales softly before re-entering the house. Amethyst is still on the counter, lounging, but the phone is not in use. It's been dropped to the floor carelessly. 

Without greeting the other or bothering to ask her to get off the counter, Pearl collects the phone, dialing in reference to the note paper. Amethyst doesn't move, seemingly content where she is but ignoring Pearl nonetheless. The tension is so thick in the room, Pearl swears she could cut it with a sword. 

The number is dialed. And soon, Greg's voice comes on the other end. 

“Oh...Greg. Uh, where's Steven? Didn't I call his phone?” She asks, slightly disheartened that she didn't get to greet the boy she'd come to see as her own son. “Oh no, did something happen?”

Amethyst pops one eye open and focuses on Pearl out of concern.

Greg is quick to assure Pearl that nothing is wrong, saying that him and Connie went out into the woods for a hike, looking for some waterfall that is claimed to be haunted by some guy without a foot. Steven wants to believe its Peridot, which Greg admits to hoping its not. Pearl almost loses interest in his words as he prattles on about the different kinds of plants they've encountered. Connie's father apparently got a mild case of poison ivy and is staying quarantined in the fifth-wheel until the itching subsides. Was there really a point to this phone call? She finds herself dragging her freehand down her face slowly, as if the stimulation would give her the patience to wear out this conversation. 

“That's really very interesting, Greg!” Pearl interjects with an impatient laugh. “I heard that Steven was trying to call this morning...but for some reason couldn't get through...” She says harshly, giving Amethyst an accusatory side glance. Amethyst glares at Pearl, understanding the implication and slides off the counter. “Do you know what for?” She asks, tone being restored to its usual horizontal timbre. 

“Oh, right.” Greg realizes hastily. “It was actually just Garnet again? Something about another mission. Hold on, let me go find her.” There's silence on the other end as Pearl waits patiently. Amethyst now sits on the warp pad, idly picking at her fingernails, as if she blatantly has no where else to go. In the back of her mind, Pearl wonders if she can play this conversation off without hinting about the mission so that she could possibly go on this one solo. Given the circumstance, she doubts she'd be able to work with Amethyst in a cohesive manner.

Garnet's familiar monotone voice arrives on the other end of the call. 

“Pearl.” She starts. “Are you and Amethyst both there?” She inquires, eliminating the chance for idle chit-chat, as usual. 

“Euuuhh...yes.” She says reluctantly. 

“Good. I need you both to head to a city in Ukraine.” She informs, completely missing the diffidence on Pearl's end. “Have you heard of a place called Chernobyl?”

“I'm familiar with th--...yes, why?” She says carefully, trying to avoid certain key words that would indicate a mission to the other in the room.

“I believe that the substance produced from that event, Chernobylite, has a risk of being compromised by a gem monster in that region. I haven't been able to find the creature in my past trips there, it keeps evading. But I have reason to suspect that it will surface, soon. I need you both to go find it, and bubble it. Also, you should see if you can break up and bubble the Chernobylite as well. We're not humans, so it shouldn't be hazardous to us.”

Pearl wants to ask what the creature looks like, but she can't think of a way to word such a question without compromising herself to Amethyst. “I see!” She laughs anxiously. “Well, uh...have fun with that, Steven!” She slams the phone onto the receiver, sweating at her own inability to smoothly fabricate anything ever. She looks to Amethyst, who gives her a justifiably confused expression. 

They stare at each other, neither one of them particularly interested in forming conversation. 

“I uh...I have something I need to go do.” Pearl says evasively, earning a more suspicious look in response from the other gem.

“Yeah right. Like another mission?” Amethyst surmises, remaining on the warp pad comfortably. 

Pearl sweats at this. “What? No. I was just...”

“Going on a mission.” Amethyst cuts in, clearly not fooled at all by Pearl's neurotic attempt at lying.

“Hrrrmm...yes. But it's nothing big. I can do it alone.” She explains promptly. Stepping onto the warp pad, fully expecting Amethyst to move.

“You mean you _want_ to do it alone.” She corrects haughtily, staring Pearl down with a certain confidence that rubs Pearl the wrong way.

Pearl contemplates this. She'd rather not make matters worse and start yet another argument. “Well, given our current...situation...” she words carefully, thinking back to the hasty passion displayed this morning. “It would probably be best to avoid missions involving teamwork.”

Amethyst rolls her eyes and groans. “Come on, P, it wasn't that big of a--”

“YES IT WAS.” Pearl almost shouts over the other, looking down at her with a boiling scorn. “At least... it was a big deal to me, Amethyst.” She interprets, voice lowering in shame at her uncontrollable interruption. “And for you to say it meant nothing to you makes it really hard for me to...be around you right now; let alone look at you.” 

Amethyst visibly sullens at this, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. “Pearl, I--”

“Please.” Pearl cuts in again, emitting an exhausted sigh. “Just...I'm going to do this mission alone. We can talk about this...thing, when I get back.” She concedes, clearly upset.

Amethyst searches Pearl's eyes for a moment, and eventually acquiesces to the compromise. She stands up and off the warp pad, considerably disquieted and filled with words she can't string together.

The warp pad lights up, finalizing the arrangement of Pearl's solo mission.

* * *

Leaving her thoughts behind, Pearl arrives just outside of Pripyat. 

It's dark, and raining, like in Beach City last night. But this rain is more calm, with the lack of loud thunder accompanying it. She'll have to travel several miles to reach Chernobyl. She's fine with this. She wants this mission to be long, anyways. Give her more time to cool off.

She wishes she could have remained more...composed, in front of Amethyst. Perhaps she's been letting this fester for too long. Maybe she needs to just let the whole thing roll of her shoulders.

As if she were even capable of such careless behavior. No. This issue will continue to harass her until there is a clear, concise resolve. And what resolve does she even hope for? What if there to gain from a romantic pursuit, aside from feeling wanted...and loved. 

She swats the images of last night out of her head, focusing on her surroundings. The warp pad is located in a steppe that exists in the outlying contaminated region of Chernobyl. Man never ceases to find ways to destroy their planet, that's for sure. What did Rose ever see in preserving a place like this when there are so many humans who seek to waste it?

Despite getting drenched in a seasonably cold rain, Pearl enjoys the downpour, finding it somehow sedating. 

Her surroundings are barren. The entire expanse around her is lifeless, abandoned. Humans cannot endure such intense radiation without suffering some sort of consequence. Such fragile beings. Gems are not immune to its effects, but will not succumb to death like a human. Pearl intends to target the Chernobylite, first. Eliminating such a massive source of radiation should make matters less concerning. Garnet seemed mostly worried about a gem creature coming into contact with it. As to where this monster could be, well, it could be anywhere. She's not too concerned with it.

* * *

Arriving upon the abandoned wasteland, she can almost feel the impurity in the air getting stronger. Observing the remains of the nuclear power plant, she concludes that the Chernobylite is being contained in the large steel and concrete building, based on her knowledge of radioactive containment.

Humans are nowhere to be seen, though she knows that this site is an ongoing concern. She should be careful not to cause a commotion during infiltration. 

Upon some remote investigation, she discovers a tunnel that seems to lead directly under the sarcophagus. This thankfully eliminates the process of having to deal with humans to get any sort of access to the structure. She knows from light reading she's done that this Chernobylite substance can kill a human in just 5 hours of consistent exposure. Despite being a gem, this fact concerns her somehow. Garnet must have known this, as well. Well enough to know that Steven should not go on this mission. 

Using the light of her gem, she navigates into the tunnel. It smells of rust and decay, and the air is thick with radiation. She feels submerged in it. Her skin prickles with a certain discomfort, and her gem pulsates with clear disfavor. This atmosphere is ill. The sooner she can get out of here, the better.

It doesn't take a genius to know when a pile of radioactive death is right in front of them. 

When she finds it, she's admittedly surprised to see the sheer size of it. She'll be here for a while just breaking it up into pieces and bubbling it. It's not even secluded to just this massive lump, there are other instances of this material, collected in large pipes and along the walls. Whatever explosion this was, it wasn't as isolated as she was lead to believe. 

Nevermind being here 'a while', it will be hours...maybe days of cleaning this stuff up. Garnet will surely be disposing of it when she returns from the trip. Maybe she should have brought Amethyst along to begin with. What she can't understand is why Garnet waited until now to have this problem addressed. This hazard has been around for decades. Could it be that Garnet is actually concerned about Peridot somehow using this substance for gem-production purposes?

Without further questioning, Pearl summons her spear, deciding to begin chipping away at the formations of Chernobylite from the large pipes in either side of the room.

* * *

“Yeeeaaaah...I messed up. Big time.” Amethyst admits into the phone. She noticed the slip of paper with Steven's number on it and dialed it about an hour after Pearl left. “She was pretty upset when she went. I don't think she'll appreciate it if I show up in the middle of everything trying to help.” She explains wearily.

Garnet makes a sound of something between disapproval and appraisal. “This was not negotiable. You need to go help her. Time is imperative, Amethyst.” She explains seriously. 

Amethyst sours at the command. 

“Urgh...I know, I know. But she was so pissed, Garnet. She's not gonna' like--”

“Amethyst. You need to go.” She repeats, this time with less distemper. “Whatever it is that happened, I know it will get resolved.” 

Amethyst groans, contemplating if she can argue this any further, but realizes that there isn't really a choice. “Alright alright...I'll go. But can you tell me where the heck I'm going? Pearl just up and went without telling me anything.”

* * *

After about 2 hours of aimlessly poking around the dozens of buildings around the power plant looking for Pearl, Amethyst discovers and follows the muddy footprints in the ground to the tunnel where her comrade probably entered. As Garnet described on the phone, Amethyst is supposed to avoid humans, and avoid destroying anything other than the objective; this...cherno-whatever.

Something in the air isn't right. Not that it bothers her in the slightest, she just knows that this isn't an atmosphere that humans would particularly thrive in. The tunnel is dark, and she keeps expecting to see a light source from her team mate at any moment, but is constantly disappointed with every corner she turns. She contemplates calling out for Pearl, but doesn't want to risk drawing unwanted attention; if humans are even here right now. 

What is she even supposed to say to Pearl when she finds her?

_“Hey buddy! I know you said you wanted to do this alone, but mama G said I gotta do it, yo!”_

Yeah that would totally work. She sighs, running her hand along the tunnel wall, feeling its bumps and curves that are covered with a weird slickness. She rubs the substance off on her clothes and continues. 

Finally, a light source comes into view. She stops in her tracks, trying to nail down what to say to her when she faces her. Is saying 'hi' enough? 

There's no sound coming from the light source. No movement either. Something feels off, for sure.

“Yo, P.” She finally calls out. “Look, I know you said you didn't want me to come, but Garnet was all...” She trails off, becoming silent. Still no movement. The light coming from Pearl is just...stagnant. Faint. And she can't see anything else, so she cautiously takes a few steps forward.

Still nothing.

“Pearl. Look, I know you're pissed off, okay!? Its not that...it meant nothing, I was just...afraid. Afraid of being used in some way. And I'm not saying that you would use me, I just...” Amethyst swallows dryly, finding it difficult to admit to these things. All while Pearl is being unreasonably quiet. 

“It's weird. All of this is just weird and I don't know how to deal with it. I never really thought you'd ever...feel that way. And when you...started showing me that you did, I just got even more scared. I don't know why I said it didn't matter. It matters a lot to me...I just...” She stops talking. The lack of response is making her nervous. 

She waits, watching the glow from Pearl's gem. Cave dust slowly drifting through it without direction. 

“Look...man, this place is...really freakin' creepy. Can we go back above ground and...talk?” She tries. Still nothing. 

Amethyst, growing impatient, draws closer, and discovers a horrifying scene.

As if she had been...immersed by the material coating the walls, Pearl's body is propped, held up by...a rust-colored mass that although isn't moving right now, seems to be trying to absorb her. Amethyst is admittedly frightened, shocked. She doesn't know what to do, and Pearl seems completely out of it, with her eyes dismal and lidded. 

Amethyst brings a hand up to her team mate's face, to see if she can get a reaction of some kind.

“Pearl?” She tries quietly. She looks closer, using her own gem glow help see better. Pearl's eyes, aside from appearing trance-like, are littered with specks of what look like rust. “Yo, P, you're freaking me out, come on. Snap out of it!” She demands, her worry increasing exponentially.

There's no discernible response. The only movement coming from her hands, which are trapped by the wrist to the wall. 

She growls. “What the hell is going on?!” She yells at no one. She brushes her thumb over Pearl's gem, as if trying to awaken her with tender stimulation. The gem only grows dimmer at the gesture.

Without thinking, Amethyst begins breaking away at the Chernobylite, bare handed, that has laid claim to her friend's body. Tossing bits and pieces behind her. The sounds echo off the walls of the room, dust being disturbed and sent every which way. Sounds of a panicked Amethyst grow louder from elevating anxiety and panic. She frees Pearl's legs, followed by her chest and arms. 

When she's freed, Pearl collapses wordlessly, swiftly caught by the shorter gem. Why isn't she poofing? Shouldn't she be retreating back into her gem? This isn't right. 

Amethyst's eyes begin to tear up, afraid and confused. She strengthens her grip on her incapacitated team mate, staring down at her. 

Is this her fault? Would Pearl be like this if they weren't constantly arguing or...if she'd never even kissed her the other day? If she would have just kept her lips to herself, would things have gone differently? She grits her teeth and her throat tightens, trying to combat the onset waves of self-hate. 

“I'm so sorry, Pearl.”


	7. Arc I - Strongest Taste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 13/35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

The rain only seems to grow heavier as the skies grow darker; or is that just her imagination feeding off of her own fear? And no matter how far Amethyst runs away from the power plant, it doesn't feel safe enough to stop. The radiation could spread for miles, and she has no idea what effect its having on Pearl, or why.

The only thing that is clear to her now is to keep going; to get her team mate to safety. In her arms, a conscious, but very unresponsive Pearl stares off into nothingness, as if mentally checked out. With every frantic step, mud is sent flying and she loses her balance more than a few times. This state of being, this foreign crisis, it's maddening. 

Her surroundings seem to be repeating; passing the same lifeless trees. Everything is blurry from tears that keep welling up in her eyes. That, and the intense downpour seems to be fighting to keep Amethyst from finding the warp pad. How long has she been running? She comes to a stop, trying to clear her thoughts enough to see if anything in the environment seems familiar. 

Her breathing is ragged and uneven. She's too afraid to look at her comrade and see the absent expression. She spins around several times, taking in everything. Something tells her to head west, so she complies with instinct, heading into a colorless thicket of trees. 

Taking advantage of the shelter provided by quilted branches, she comes to a rest, if just for a moment. 

Leaning against a tree and gathering herself enough to look at Pearl, who remains lethargic. She carefully lays her down in a pile of some wet, but clean pine needles that blanket the ground, cradling her head with one hand and resting the other over her chest. 

They remain there for several minutes. It's quiet, aside from the sounds of the rain and the trees swaying above. There are no animals. Not a sign of life having ever even been here. Nothing colorful or discerning. For a moment, it seems as if they're the only living things on the planet. The world, shrinking and collapsing. 

Is this a dream? 

Are they really even here? This mission seems too surreal. Not at all like the others. Too terrible. But it's real. This is really happening. And the faded life she holds right now is what makes her wish this was just a horrible nightmare. 

A small noise draws her attention. A murmur. 

“Pearl?” She chokes, finally looking down at the other. “Can you hear me?” 

There's silence. Pearl blinks sluggishly a few times and that's it. 

Amethyst grunts impatiently, getting eager at the first audible sound she'd heard since she found her.

“Okay, uh, if you can hear me...then blink once.” She tries, almost holding her breath in anticipation. She brings her hand up to the side of the others face, gently. 

Another pause, and Pearl blinks again, weakly. 

She wants to be hopeful about such a small gesture, but instead finds herself frustrated. “Urgh! How do I know you didn't just blink for no reason? This is so stupid... Alright, uh, blink if you're a massive nerd!” She keens, finding the situation already exhausting. She's practically grasping at straws here just to find a way to calm herself down. Maybe she's just desperate to know if she's not carrying around a lifeless husk. She waits impatiently for a reaction.

Pearl squints at her, and seems to just barely manage a frown. A faint expression of a look of disappointment, or irritation. Amethyst gets excited at this, letting out a frantic laugh.

“Alright uh...okay.” She swallows hard, thinking of another question. “What's 2 + 2? Give the answer in blinks.”

A weak groan comes from Pearl's throat, and she slowly rolls her eyes. She's obviously not in the mood to entertain. Amethyst accepts this, knowing that this probably isn't the best place to examine her friend's condition with dumb questions. 

“Okay okay, don't get sassy with me! I'm worried!” She justifies “Assuming you just rolled your eyes at me.” Amethyst picks her back up carefully, returning to the task of finding the warp pad. “I'm going to get you home, P.” She says out loud. Mostly to assure herself.

She scans the area around her, and thinks she's been here before. That pile of rocks with a dead tree collapsed over it looks familiar. And through a dense growth of bushes she can just make out a familiar white luster. 

* * *

The silence in the temple is disrupted as the warp pad lights up, revealing two worse-for-wear gems as it fades.

“Well, P, if you were able to talk, I'm guessing you'd nag about not setting you on the couch because you're wet and you don't want to ruin the upholstery.” Amethyst jokes exhaustively, mostly to amuse herself. 

She gently sets Pearl down on the warp pad, expecting her to at least be able to sit up on her own. She slowly removes her hands to test the theory, but quickly grabs her again when she starts falling backwards. Pearl's face remains vacant and insipid.

“I'm sure glad Steven isn't here. Seeing you like this would freak him out.” She says flatly. “Then again, I wonder if he could like...drool into a bucket and then rub it all over you.” She laughs the same dry laugh, amusing herself only. “You know...to like...heal you and junk.” 

Pearl offers no retaliation, except for a small grimace. 

Her grin fades. “Whatever. It's funny.” Amethyst sighs, laying Pearl down on her back. “Uh...I'll go get some towels.” She states awkwardly, finding the one-sided nature of the conversation to be painful. She disappears into the washroom.

Pearl, trapped in her own thoughts, has initially accepted her inability to move or do anything. But is still frustrated. No matter what she does or how she goes about it, her arms and legs remain unresponsive. It's not as if they are numb, she feels everything with almost a heightened sensitivity, but the only movements she can congress are slight finger twitches. How useful. She doesn't even remember when she got like this. She only remembers finding the Chernobylite, chipping at it a few times, and then...nothing? It's all so dark. The only thing that really stuck in her memory was the strong smell of rust.

How long as she down there? Minutes? Hours? She can hardly recall when Amethyst had found her. Just by recognizing her voice, she was drawn out of a weird trance. 

Or not necessarily a trance... it was more like...she was getting ready to fall asleep, but was disturbed; interrupted. She didn't want to sleep, it just felt like she had no choice. Like she was being made to rest. The silence in the room soon felt like whispers, begging her to sleep. 

Yes, now she remembers. She was getting dizzy, mining away at the walls, bubbling the radioactive hunks of mineral that fell to the ground. She had soon leaned against the wall, finding it odd that she was feeling so strange. So sleepy. Disoriented. By the time she'd noticed the Chernobylite claiming her, she was too weak to move. It was probably then, or not long after, she lost the ability to move. 

But what she fails to understand why the radiation affected her this way. She's not organic. It shouldn't bother her. Or maybe she just didn't know any better. She'd never been exposed to that high of radiation before. She wonders if Garnet even had an inkling of the consequences when she sent Pearl on the mission. Probably not. She wouldn't risk anyone's safety to such an extent.

She hears Amethyst re-enter. With a great deal of effort, she manages to tilt her head slightly to look at the shorter gem, carrying a load of towels and looking down at her, as if expecting something. 

_I can't move, why are you looking at me like that? _Pearl thinks to herself, but then realizes it. That's not a look of expectation, but of worry. She can tell that she'd been crying. A lot. Which only makes Pearl feel even worse for being in this state. It suddenly hits her. She's dependent on Amethyst now. And she feels pathetic for it. She just wants to sit up and hug her. Tell her everything will be alright.__

But she doesn't even know if that's true. She doesn't know if things will be alright. It's concerning, to say the least. There is one thing she's sure of. She regrets the impatience she expressed to Amethyst before leaving the temple earlier. She should have stayed and worked things out. Then maybe she wouldn't have gone on the mission alone and gotten herself messed up like this. 

That's right... She can only blame herself for how things are now. If she'd just been more patient with Amethyst, things would be different...she wouldn't be laying here, dispensed and useless.

It is the regrets of what could have been that will haunt her.

The shorter gem takes a seat next to Pearl on the warp pad, and at first, Pearl's reaction is to sit up and hug her, but that notion is quickly shot down for obvious reasons. She grunts internally.

“Um, okay. I'm gonna dry you off, now, P. Try not to move.” She smirks, but silently berates herself. “Sorry, that was a really terrible joke...” Unfortunately, her defense mechanism in scary situations is an awful sense of humor. Pearl understand this, and doesn't take offense to it, not that Amethyst would know how she's taking anything, really. 

Tediously, Amethyst brings Pearl into a sitting position with her back facing her. Holding her in place, she begins kneading the towel over Pearl's back, which on her end, feels nice. But she stops almost as soon as she starts. 

“Yeeeeeeah this is stupid, I'm going to have to take your clothes off, P.” 

Despite Pearl's almost non-existent ability to react in any sort of way, she manages to give off a muffled, contorted whimper and lean forward, away from Amethyst. Though the lean turns into her almost falling forward, she is saved by Amethyst's quick reflexes from face-planting on the warp pad. 

“Hey, look at that. I made you move.” She laughs halfheartedly, bringing Pearl back up-right. “Look, we can do this the less hard way, or the hard way. Or wait, can you phase them off? That would definitely make this less awkward.”

Pearl realizes that Amethyst is being serious. How does she convey that she's perfectly fine just laying here on the warp pad and air-drying? Running away would be ideal. She feels heat creeping up into her face all-too-explicitly. After a few moments of more silence, Amethyst comes to the conclusion that phasing is off the table.

“Aww, don't tell me you're nervous.” Amethyst pokes playfully, obviously still trying to come to terms with the situation through inappropriate humor. Pearl feels hands around her abdomen, undoing the sash with senseless lethargy. Like being teased, though Pearl knows that Amethyst wouldn't do anything so crude. Being trapped in her mind is literal torture right now.

“See, look at this, P.” Amethyst explains, though it's not like Pearl can even turn around to do so. Amethyst gathers the sash in her hands, wringing out the profuse amount of water it gathered from running through rain for an hour. Pearl is only upset at this because she can hear Amethyst creating a watery mess just to prove a point. 

The hands return, taking Pearl's tunic by the hem and slipping upwards, instinctively she was going to raise her arms to make this easier, but is met with more disappointment from unresponsive limbs. Her clothes are so soaked that they have to be practically peeled off her skin. The sensation is uncomfortable, not to mention leaving her cold. She shivers at this, which in itself is annoying because it's as if her body will only move when she doesn't expect it to. Her tunic is discarded onto the floor after being wrangled away from her body. It disappears in a small flash of glitter.

The towel is reapplied, and the warmth is soothing. She finds herself wanting to be wrapped up in it and held close. 

The truth is, Pearl is touched by the gesture... Being taken care of by another is, in her opinion, far more intimate than kissing. Like tender reminders that someone genuinely cares about your well-being. Despite all of the arguments and bickering and drama between them almost constantly, Amethyst has really stepped up. Pearl only wishes she could speak how thankful she is to her.

Once her back has been dried off, her arms are tended to next. Amethyst is almost exquisite in how she handles each one, grazing the towel over her alabaster skin with silent, privy devotion. Even her hands are nurtured with consistent dedication. Her face becomes hot with the burden of being the center of attention in this exchange. At this point, the shivering has less to do with being cold and more to do with a quiet greed, wanting to be touched more and more. Wanting the administration of care to continue to the rest of her soaked exterior.

Next comes her chest, which thankfully Amethyst remains seated behind Pearl, reaching around her to do this. She's gentle and devoted in her actions, giving Pearl a rush of great affection for the other gem. So much so that her eyes begin to overwhelm with hot, appreciative tears. 

Amethyst, engrossed in the act of drying Pearl's abdomen, only becomes aware of the crying when a few tears drop onto her wrist. She blinks a few times, confused.. Stopping herself, Amethyst unfolds the towel and wraps Pearl in it tentatively before grabbing another one from the pile.

For a moment, Pearl is disappointed at the disruption, but Amethyst is quick to relocate to in front of her, holding her in place to keep her from falling any which way. The shorter gem reaches up to wipe away the tears, not daring to make any more jokes about Pearl's mysterious impairment. They share eye contact for a while, like wild animals apprising the other with silent, primal trust. Amethyst seats herself between Pearl's legs and brings the taller gem's head down to rest on her shoulder; administering the fresh towel to dry her hair.

At this, Pearl melts. It doesn't necessarily feel like drying, but an alleviating massage, especially the area around her gem. Surely if she were a cat, she would be purring and careening for more. Certainly now more than ever she is willing to admit that she is tired and actually capable of sleep. Amethyst does good work with her hands, this is a fact. She feels relaxed, completely. Her eyes close, content. Amethyst's shoulder is warm, and satisfying, smelling of pine needles. Were she able to, she would wrap her arms around Amethyst and fall asleep right here on the warp pad. 

After her hair is satiated and relatively dry, There is a pause. A rather long one. Amethyst's leg bounces a few times, as if she's struggling on a decision. It comes to Pearl's attention that it's because her lower half comes next. Her face heats up at the anticipation alone. She wouldn't deny that she's not exactly hating the careful attention being paid to her...but she doesn't want Amethyst to feel obligated to do anything more, or anything that'd make her uncomfortable. 

Amethyst's hands finally make their move, one on Pearl's back and the other behind her head. She is lowered back down into a laying position. Is she sweating? She feels almost feverish from mere expectancy alone. They share a moment, probing each other's gaze for mutual understanding. 

“Ugh, don't give me that look! I'm not going to try anything weird, I swear.” She explains, flustered. Without further deliberation, Amethyst's hands make quick work of peeling the rest of her clothes off. Pearl is actually more relieved when the socks come off because they were honestly making her more disgusted and uncomfortable than anything. 

Amethyst is liberal and almost frantic with how she dries off Pearl's legs, obviously fighting to stave off any indulgent thoughts. Pearl, on the other hand, finds herself enjoying every second that ticks away. Any moment that Amethyst's fingertips just barely graze against her skin is pure pleasure. She is caught between a strong feeling of guilt and palpable gratification. This is not the time to be thinking such abhorrent thoughts, but she just can't fight the excitement. The longing. 

When the ministrations to get her dry are finished, the disappointment returns. Followed by internalized embarrassment that she's so completely helpless that she just had to be dried off like some elderly human in a rest home. Amethyst, now in full blush, walks off abruptly, leaving Pearl's limited field of vision. She returns within seconds. Without warning, she's swiftly picked up and slung over Amethyst's shoulder, which is awkward in and of itself because of the incredible height difference. That, and the towel that was loosely wrapped around her body tumbles off.

For a moment, Amethyst's name boils in her throat in protest, but just comes out as a strangled groan. Pearl is then carried like a lifeless ragdoll over to the couch, which is covered haphazardly with towels, and deposited carefully.

Amethyst remains standing, staring down at her with distracted eyes. It is then that Pearl realizes that it's because she's essentially...exposed. Amethyst coughs, correcting this by picking up the towel that fell away and re-wrapping Pearl in it.

“Welp, I don't know what else I can do for you, P.” She sighs, sitting on the coffee table facing Pearl. 

What she really wants right now is to be cuddled, but it's not like she can convey that with the limited amount of empty stares she can produce. She closes her eyes for now, finding the plush surface of the couch to be incredibly appealing. She just wants to sleep.

* * *

Pearl must have actually dozed off, because when she opens her eyes again, it's early morning. The house is still dim, and the fireplace is now crackling, stirring with freshly-added wood. Her attention meanders to her hand, soft, violet fingers gently woven between her own. She follows the path of the arm, finding that Amethyst is blissfully asleep next to her, chest rising and falling in steady respire. The two of them are snuggled up cozy under a blanket stolen from Steven's bed, side by side. She feels quite spoiled by the warmth inside and around her. The only complaint she has, is that she can't steal a kiss from her unconscious team mate. 

Eyelids, feeling heavy again, fold drowsily. She is lulled to sleep again by the calming resonance of Amethyst's breathing.

* * *

When she awakens again, the warmth she fell asleep with is gone, and she's now in a laying position, alone on the couch. For some reason, her vision is...foggy, and there's an orange-like tint to everything. She hears Amethyst's voice, muffled at first, but coming into clarity as she is drawn out of her groggy capacity.

“--asleep right now, but that's all she's been doing. Like she's literally just been glued to the couch for two days.”

Two days?! The shock of that truth still isn't enough to jolt her body into responding, and she almost panics, but forces herself to eaves drop some more. 

Another voice, she recognizes as Garnet, responds vaguely, too quiet to discern. She must have came back when she heard about the...situation. 

"Well...uh...stuff happened when you guys left." Amethyst replies. "I uh. I kissed her. Sort of?" Pearl experiences second-hand embarrassment at the awkward confession, wondering how Garnet would react to the news. She wishes she could see better.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised." Garnet says smoothly. Pearl can practically hear the small grin on Garnet's face.

"And like...I don't know! Things got really confusing and I said some really uncool things, which is why she went by herself...I'm sorry." She explains, flustered. Pearl's vision finally corrects itself, the fogginess dissipating. They're coming over from the direction of the kitchenette.

The two of them come into view, and she looks up at them with a silent begging, feeling so small and fragile as she is. She wonders where Steven is. Probably still with the Maheswarans.

“Oh wow, she's actually awake.” Amethyst regards, genuinely surprised, leaning down to get a closer look. Garnet hums with a quiet perplexity, and grabs Pearl to lift her into a sitting position. She feels at ease, somehow. Garnet has always been a reassuring figure to her. 

“Pearl.” She summons coolly, kneeling beside her. It's so hard to tell how Garnet feels about anything most of the time. Pearl acknowledges her taller comrade with a directed stare. A hand is placed over her gem.

“Hot.” Garnet observes to the other, Amethyst, confused, sits on the coffee table and watches the interaction.

“Yeah, I know. I put an ice pack on it yesterday but it just melted after a few minutes.” Amethyst sighs, dejectedly resting her head in her hands. 

The two of them remain seated in front of Pearl, silently inspecting her, confused and worried. 

“Well?! Do you have any idea whats wrong with her?” Amethyst begs desperately. Usually, Garnet is on top of these things with a heightened perception into the unknown. 

“I do not.” She keens. “What confuses me is why she was affected, and not you.”

“Euhhhh...welllllll, I wasn't down there as long as she was. I think she was there for like three hours before I found her. I got lost a few times before then.” She admits, ashamed.

“That could be it. But haven't you noticed? She herself, is radioactive, now. And you've been by her side for two days. No effect.” She observes, brushing her thumb over Pearl's gem pensively. “It may not be as potent as Chernobylite itself, but it's obvious that she has absorbed a lot of it.” 

Amethyst swallows nervously. “So it's just in her body, right? What if we just poof her? That should get rid of it, right?” 

Garnet thinks for a moment, finding the idea to be intriguing to say the least. “The radiation she has absorbed is uranium based. Poofing her now would be the equivalent of detonating a uranium bomb. It is hard to say whether her gem would survive an explosion that devastating...” 

Pearl, if wasn't petrified right now, surely would be now upon hearing those words. 

"Rose's fountain?" Amethyst tries again. "Lets just throw her in there and see what happens!"

Pushing her shades up in correction, Garnet evaluates the suggestion. "Perhaps as a last resort, we could do that...but we would also be risking contamination of the water in the fountain. Still, it was a good idea." She offers reassuringly. Amethyst releases another small groan.

“...For now...” Garnet begins, carefully. “Until we can find out more about the nature of her condition.” She rests a hand on Amethyst's shoulder, prepared for an outburst. “We need to isolate her somewhere. We will be putting Steven at risk if we keep her here. He is part human, the effect this could have on him, as well as the people in Beach City, is far more dangerous than it is for us.”

“So like, what? We leave her in her room?” Amethyst assumes, confused at where this will go.

“No.” Garnet denies flatly. “That it still too close. We'll need to find a place with no human life for miles.”

“Uh, we are NOT leaving her alone in the middle of nowhere! How is that going to help?!” Amethyst yells, getting heated. Pearl finds this to be heartbreaking. All this worry over her...she hates this.

“Amethyst.” She says seriously, trying to stay leveled. “We can't keep her here. She is a danger to everyone. I am just as concerned as you are, but you have to understand. We need to handle this carefully... We have no idea what is going on, or what is going to happen.”

Amethyst falls silent, watching Pearl with quiet agony. The tension in the air grows thicker.

“This is my fault.” She admits sadly, grabbing the sides of her head in defeat. 

“No it's not.” Garnet assures her. “None of us could have known that this would happen.” 

“If I went with her then I could have saved her before this happened!” Amethyst argues, frustrated tears collecting in her eyes. 

Pearl is heartbroken to see Amethyst blaming herself over this... after all, Pearl had been blaming herself for this from the start. They both blame themselves over what happened. That's something they have in common right now. She wishes more than anything to hug Amethyst and reassure her that this is not a product of her indiscretion. The situation only grows more discouraging.

“Amethyst.” Garnet halts, tightening her grip on the shorter gem's shoulder. “You are not responsible for this. If anything, I am.” She assures. “I shouldn't have sent either of you on this mission without me. I was just sending you two on random operations to keep you two from getting carried away while I was gone.”

Amethyst narrows suspiciously. “What do you mean 'getting carried away'?” 

“It seems like the only time you two aren't arguing is when we're focused on a singular objective. A mission. Being with Steven and everyone else only made me wonder if you two could be left alone with nothing to do. I thought that if I gave you something to do, it would strengthen your bond. Your teamwork is the only instance in which I see you two thriving, together.”

Pearl feels her face getting warm, and notices Amethyst adopting a slight blush as well. Silence hangs between the three of them for several minutes. 

“...Where will we take her?” Amethyst asks, breaking the peace.

Garnet hums again, bringing a hand up to her chin as she thinks to herself. “I will need some time to evaluate our options. Thankfully, Steven won't be back for another three days. For now, she can stay in your room, under supervision.”

“Euhh...Why my room?” Amethyst argues passively. “That would probably kill her. She hates my room.”

Pearl can't deny this. Literally. 

Garnet only agrees with this in a small nod. “Well, I suppose she can stay on the couch. It can't do any more harm than it's already done. The entire beach house is contaminated by now. We'll have to keep Steven somewhere else until we can find a way to decontaminate it.” She states plainly. She looks to the blanket wrapped around Pearl. “...And we'll probably have to dispose of that.”

Amethyst grumbles, locking eyes with Pearl for a moment before resigning her gaze to the floor.

“Man...this really sucks...”


	8. Arc I - Twerk or Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i literally just want amethyst split pearl open and fuck her like a wild animal PLEASE..........

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

Gentle waves, lapping at her ankles.

She swears she can hear seagulls, quavering to each other. 

The wind smells of earth and salt. 

She blinks slowly, taking in the afterglow of a recently set sun. The sky is a magnificent purple, dotted with stars as they become visible in the virgin night sky. 

Wave after wave, ebbing and flowing. Calling to her. 

_Come rest._

Surely, there is comfort waiting in the bottom of the ocean. A cure.

Everything is slow. Her mind is completely blank. Experiencing this moment in its entirety. Blissfully.

As the water recedes again, she follows, taking a small step forward. She is met with the subtle pushing as the water returns. She ignores this, continuing forward.

Water, now at her knees. She stops, finally thinking her first thought.

Am I alone?

She turns around to look at the shore. 

Amethyst.

She looks...sad?

Pearl moves to go back to be with her. But her limbs do not respond. She falls onto her hands and knees, and a black, thick oil spills from her mouth, spreading into the water.

Her vision, deteriorating. 

A hand on her shoulder feels like static. She can't look up. She can't move. She sees her gem fall from her from her forehead, sinking into the tainted water. 

Everything disappears. 

Her eyes open again, she's back in the beach house. Amethyst's face is only inches away, looking...off-guard? She stumbles backwards and hits the coffee table. 

“Ow, shit-- Oh, heeeeeeey, Pearl! I was just... y'know. Haha, I don't even know. What's up girl? Just chillin?” She grins anxiously, standing and seating herself onto the coffee table, dusting off her knees.

Pearl, confused, just barely raises an eyebrow. So she was dreaming? She still can't move. What a wonderful surprise. 

“Of course you're chillin. Like you have a choice or anything, amirite?” She says a bit too quickly. Something is clearly off. Pearl blinks, trying to project something, anything from her gem in order to communicate. She glows, faintly, and tries harder. Amethyst seems to pick up on what she's trying to do, and watches with silent encouragement. 

All that she manages to produce is something similar to static, followed by seagulls screeching. The projection shorts out, leaving the both of them frustrated.

“Well it was worth a shot.” Amethyst sighs, leaning back. “Garnet went to go look around for ...options.” She words delicately, swinging her legs back and forth idly.

For a moment, Pearl is clueless on what she means by 'options', but then remembers their conversation from before. About needing to isolate Pearl temporarily. They share a moment of eye contact, which is somehow soothing to Pearl.

“Jeez, you must be bored being cooped up in here...” Amethyst comments, coming forward to brush some hair away from Pearl's gem. Pearl concurs with this statement with a few blinks.

Contemplating for a moment, Amethyst comes back with a suggestion. “If I sneak you outta here for a bit, do you promise not to tell Garnet?”

As if Pearl can make any indication of a promise. She forces her gem to glow faintly, hoping it conveys a yes. There's another pause.

“I'm assuming that's a 'yeah'. And if it isn't, then too bad. It's getting _really_ depressing just watching you lay here all day. C'mon.” She insists, pulling Pearl off of the couch. When the blanket falls away, she is reminded that her team mate is still naked. A startled wheeze escapes Amethyst as she quickly retrieves it and cloaks Pearl again. 

“I think we're gonna need to get you some actual human clothes soon, since you can't just summon some new ones, P.” She coughs, adjusting to carry her bridal style. “I'm thinking sweatpants and a wifebeater.” She kicks the front door open, and the hinges protest, making Pearl angry just at the fact that she can't oil them again. 

“Uh...if you wanna go down to the beach, blink once, and if you wanna stay up here on the porch, then uh...don't blink? Argh...this is so hard.” She snivels, looking to Pearl for an indication of anything. Pearl thinks for a moment, and decides that it would be nice to get down to the shoreline, putting her strange dream from earlier aside. She blinks once, as requested. Amethyst nods and responds with a pensive hum. 

Soon, Pearl is carried down the stairs carefully. Being swaddled in a plush blanket and held close to the gem of her infatuation is splendidly comforting. On top of that, she gets to do this while spending the evening watching the tides. The only thing missing is the ability to touch Amethyst. And kiss her. She feels small, but protected. Safe. With her head resting on Amethyst's shoulder, she closes her eyes, already feeling the need to sleep again.

When deposited onto the sand, she is worried that when Amethyst lets go, she'll just fall over. But Amethyst is mindful of this and sits behind Pearl, wrapping her arms around her as she does. 

Eventually, her body collectively slides down further, her head propped and rested against Amethyst's chest. Not unlike her dream, the sky is a delightful mural of purple and blue in the dull afterglow of fleeting daylight. She'll have to remind herself to do this more often once they find a way to restore her body to an autonomous state. 

Moments like these are too precious to go without. 

The moon, now a bright crescent, hangs in the sky, casting its own radiance onto the ocean's surface. 

For a long while, they sit in silence, admiring the scenery that although is here every day, rarely goes as appreciated as it is right now. Pearl, contentedly feeling the rise and fall of the other's chest, finds rhythm between that and the waves; harmonious and peaceful. 

“Sooo...I know you can't really talk right now...” Amethyst begins softly. Pearl shifts her attention to the other's voice. “But like, I think I owe you an...euhh..” She struggles for a moment, Pearl can feel Amethyst exhale slowly, trying to get her thoughts straight. “I'm sorry I said that it didn't matter. The kiss, I mean.”

Pearl closes her eyes, wishing she could offer her own apology in return. They were both being stubborn.

“The truth is, I really liked it. I like how your lips feel on mine. And I like the the sounds you made when I kissed your neck.” She admits, her face getting hot. She buries herself into Pearl's hair, as if cowering away from her own chagrin. Pearl feels her own face become feverish, recalling the intimacy between them at that moment. 

“I didn't wanna stop.” She continues. “When you uh...made that sound, y'know what I'm talking about...” She explains, hinting at the loud moan Pearl made when Amethyst bit her neck. Pearl's embarrassment returns full-force, wanting badly to bury her face in her hands. 

“I was honestly ready to strip you right then and there.” Amethyst admits. Pearl then swears she can feel her chest explode. 

Why is Amethyst saying any of this?! She practically feels like she's on fire.

“And I wonder if like...if I would have fucked you then, would things be different now? Like would we have been able to go on missions like normal, still? Or would things have been even worse? There were so many times when I could have made a better choice, and I didn't. I just kept shutting you out because I was too afraid to face my feelings...to face your feelings.” She reasons, tightening her arms around the taller gem. 

“I feel like this is all my fault. You tried to be responsible about this whole thing and I just got pissed and made things difficult.” Her voice gets coarse at the end of her sentence, filled with anguish, and for a while she becomes quiet again. Pearl, filled with so many words that will never come out. Not now, anyway. This is torment of the highest caliber. She can feel Amethyst's gem getting hotter, a type of heat that holds its own message; anger...self-hate. 

“I'm sorry, P.” She mumbles, her grip slackening again. “I'm going to fix this. I'm going to fix you.” She swears, bringing a hand up to Pearl's gem, stroking it softly. “Because I...I think I'm in--”

“Pearl. Amethyst.” Comes Garnet's voice from behind, Amethyst lets out a startled yell and spins around, jostling Pearl into and awkward position.

 _Shit._ is the first thought that comes to Amethyst's mind. She knows she's not supposed to have Pearl out in the open like this. She internally prepares for the oncoming reprehension. But is met instead with a gentle hand on her shoulder. Garnet sits next to them, seemingly focused on the tides in front of them. They share a mutual quietude, time seems to stand still.

“Everything will be alright.” Garnet says quietly, drawing the other two gems' attention. As if she knew that the two of them were experiencing such great mutual uncertainty. They needed such reassurance.

* * *

Garnet stokes the fireplace again, while Amethyst returns Pearl to her new home, a.k.a, the sofa. She sighs internally, coming to see the piece of furniture as a prison. Amethyst yawns loudly, stretching and plopping into the spot next to her. What Pearl can't get out of her mind is what Amethyst was going to say before they were...discovered. 

She doesn't want to make assumptions...assumptions will quite possibly kill her, but not as much as the unknown will. She can just barely turn her head enough to face the shorter gem, trying to force her thoughts onto her somehow. But all she gets in response is a bored side glance.

“Y'know, I sometimes used to wish that Pearl would just stop talking, but now that it's finally happened, I have to admit that it's really freaking boring without her nagging and showing off her endless knowledge of the universe and everything in it.” Amethyst sighs, kicking her legs up and resting them on the coffee table. 

_I'm RIGHT here._ Pearl thinks to herself, her face souring at the statement. How could Amethyst go from being so open and intimate on the beach to being a jerk? 

Garnet, dismissing the commentary, takes a seat on the sectional part of the couch, facing the both of them with a quiet resolution. 

“Anyways, have you found somewhere for Pearl to go?” Amethyst asks, resting her hands behind her head. Garnet makes a nod, turning to the gem in question. 

“I have many ideas, but I think that taking her to kindergarten is the best option.” She explains frankly, Amethyst immediately becomes disturbed. Pearl adopts the same look, albeit, less exaggerated. 

“Uh, are you sure that's a good idea? Isn't that where Peridot was doing those weird experiments on gem fusions?”

“Yes, but when we encountered her there last time, didn't you hear what she said? She already got what she went there for; those experiments were finished. It is unlikely that she'll return there, and even if she does, she's obviously expressed the desire to avoid us at all costs. Plus, the location is already desolate, lifeless. If we took her to an island with plant life, it would certainly have a negative effect on a living environment. Kindergarten is safest.”

“Safest? Pearl HATES kindergarten!” Amethyst protests, massaging both of her temples in frustration.

“She won't be there for long. Just until I can find a way to reverse this.” She responds, staying placid. “Please try to understand.”

Pearl looks between the two of them, feeling more useless as time wears on. All this discontent, and all because of her. She exhales faintly, exhausted with this topic and exhausted with herself. 

Amethyst submits to the idea, leaning back into the couch and absently bumping shoulders with Pearl. 

“I can tell that you two have grown much closer; not in just these past few days, so I understand that this situation is much more... sensitive. But I know that we can find a way. We just need to pursue all avenues and to be patient. Nothing will happen to her if we leave her there. She'd be closed off and out of harm's way.” 

“Ohohoho, no. Nonono, we are not going to leave Pearl ALONE, in KINDERGARTEN! She can't defend herself if something happens! Who knows what weird shit Peridot had going on there? There could be more experiments-- or something we missed!” Amethyst raises, looking between Pearl and Garnet several times. “If she goes, I'm staying with her.”

Garnet rubs her forehead, weighing the options. Then she remembers. Amethyst has been alone before. For a long time. Way before the Crystal Gems found her. This must be far more personal than just her protective position over Pearl. She crosses her legs, analyzing what possible trouble this could cause. She arrives at several conclusions, keeping them to herself for the time being.

“Very well. But I will be checking in on you every few hours.”

“Uh, we don't need a babysitter, G. What crazy shit could we POSSIBLY get into? She's practically a vegetable!” She explains, waving her arms at Pearl for emphasis. Pearl squints, offended.

“Its not her that I'm worried about. I don't want you getting carried away and taking her somewhere else if you get bored.” Garnet says candidly.

“I lived there for like a bazillion years, Garnet! I think I know what I'm signing myself up for here.” Amethyst defends, gesturing towards herself now. 

“...Alright. Then it's settled. Kindergarten it is.” She finalizes, adjusting her shades. 

“...What are you gonna tell Steven?” Amethyst asks. Pearl's attention is reeled back in at the mention of the boy.

“...The truth.” She says simply. “We can't keep hiding him from things anymore. He cares deeply for each of us, and to lie to him would not only create distrust, but he's smart. He'd find out eventually that something wasn't right.” The other two agree in silence. “I...no, we, can't afford to have him in the dark and to have him investigating this matter for his own answers. If we tell him the truth, and tell him all we know, it should at least give him the common sense to know that he can't seek Pearl out. He can't help this situation.”

“Mmm, true.” The shortest gem concurs. She glances to Pearl, only to find her to be making the same dull face as always. She wonders what Pearl must be feeling and thinking right now. 

* * *

It is the morning after their discussion. When Pearl arouses, she is alone in the beach house, on where else but the couch. She wants to sit up. A list of curse words shuffle through her mind. It's probably an hour or so before anyone appears. 

The faint exchange of conversation can be heard outside, getting closer. The front door to the beach house swings open, and in come Amethyst and Garnet, the former carrying a bag with a quirky symbol on it that Pearl can't quite decipher. Where have they been?

“Ayyyy Puuuurl.” Amethyst greets, dropping the mysterious bag down on the coffee table. She blinks several times, trying to convey that she A. Wants to be sat up, and B., wants to know whats in the bag. Amethyst immediately complies, probably by coincidence.

“Oop, you got a little...something...” She gestures, pointing to her own chin but then is smacked with the reminder that Pearl can't exactly act upon suggestions. Amethyst reaches forward, wiping something away from Pearl's mouth, she stops for a moment, observing a black substance on her fingertips. Garnet hovers over, curious. “Uh, okay, that's not gross or anything.” She says, wiping it off on her pants. Pearl wonders what it was and where it came from, but is interrupted at Amethyst's outburst.

“...ANYWAYS...So, since you're basically an inanimate doll now and can't dress yourself...” She starts, a bit too excited. 

Garnet cuts in smoothly. “...We went out and got clothes for you.”

Pearl, while touched at the thought of the two of them tending to such a menial task for her sake, is also worried at what they might have picked out for her...

“Get ready P.” Amethyst announces, rummaging in the bag. First to come out is a folded up sky-blue square, which unravels to reveal a crop top with the words 'dirty blonde' on it in white letters. Pearl is immediately revolted and wishes she could scream for help. She wonders if there is even a hint of horror shown on her own face. 

“COOL RIGHT?” She cackles, obviously enjoying this too much. “It's SO you. But don't worry, I got two more options for you to choose from!” Garnet can't hide her amusement in observing the two of them. Amethyst reaches into the bag again, this time producing another crop top, golden, that says 'twerk or treat' with skulls and bats around the lettering, and then a navy-blue v-neck that says 'birthday bitch'. Pearl feels the will to live just barely teetering on the edge at this point. 

What on earth made Amethyst think that these were acceptable articles of clothing to purchase? 

And what the hell is a twerk?!

The final article to come out of the bag are some plain black athletic shorts. “I don't think you need shoes since you're not gonna be walking anyways, so I skipped that.” Her grin is sickening...but also quite charming. Pearl can't be mad. Not with knowing that Amethyst actually elected to do this in the first place. Her anxiety slips away, looking to Amethyst and Garnet with great appreciation. 

“Okay now comes the hard part of...choosing.” Amethyst explains. “Just uhm...hmmm...okay..uh, I'll hold up each one, and you blink when I'm holding the one you want.” She says excitedly, reaching for the birthday bitch one first. 

Pearl resists blinking. At all costs. Amethyst sighs, as if that was the one she was partial to.

Next comes 'Dirty blonde', which Pearl struggles to even understand why it was chosen, because she's not even blonde. She has no choice but to settle for the 'twerk' shirt, despite not having any idea what a twerk even is. She blinks, confirming her selection. 

Amethyst, again, laughs crudely. “Dayum, P. What a bold decision.”

Garnet holds in what small laughter she can, leaving the two of them to tend to something in the temple; probably some final arrangements for the trip to kindergarten. 

Pearl shifts her gaze to Amethyst, who's smile fades a bit as she packs away the rejected shirt choices. Jokes aside, they'll soon be back in the kindergarten, waiting for stars know how long for a solution to be found. She only wonders if she is even worth all this trouble. All this worry. There is a desperate hope that a resolve is found before Steven has time to even worry about any of this. 

Why do humans even mess around with dangerous chemicals when such bio-hazardous risks are present? The human error seems to outweigh any jaded concept of the 'human experience' that Rose spoke so highly of. 

Her thoughts become static when Amethyst begins pulling the blanket away from her body, exposing her so obtrusively. Nervous because it's not dark like it was last time. This time they are in broad daylight, and Amethyst isn't even trying at this point to be modest in her observations; as if she's eyeing Pearl's body with feral intention. 

A blush creeps into Pearl's face, yet again. She knows that Amethyst isn't taking advantage of this opportunity for the wrong reasons, but the idea is still there that were she naked before Amethyst in any other situation, it'd definitely not be an innocent encounter. Her thoughts, for but a moment, recall Amethyst's words when they were alone on the beach. About stripping Pearl and performing indecent acts.

“Eh, these might be a bit loose on you but whatever.” Amethyst says bluntly, pulling Pearl closer to the edge of the couch. It is a relatively small struggle to get the shirt on, since Pearl's arms are so long and awkward in contrast to Amethyst's. There are tenuous moments in which Amethyst's hands come into contact with Pearl's skin that shamefully leave her wanting much more than just those slight touches. When the shirt is finally on proper, Amethyst is clearly amused, taking a moment to absorb the sight. 

“Looks rad, P. Maybe you should stick to just wearing this.” Her grin is weak. Something is bothering her, but Pearl can say nothing. She just gives Amethyst he best look of sympathy, which is just a small readjustment of her eyebrows. She wonders if having to care for her is somehow taking a mental toll on Amethyst.

Warm hands come to rest over Pearl's bare thighs, her body reacts of its own accord, shuttering under the touch. Amethyst raises a brow, clicking her tongue with intrigue. “Really? You like that, huh?” Pearl swallows dryly, wishing her body would stop betraying her. She explores the reaction further, gently massaging Pearl's inner thighs with her thumbs, working upwards slowly. Pearl inhales with a quiet anticipation for something she knows isn't going to happen.

“Damn, you're thirsty.” Amethyst teases, slipping her hands away and reaching for the shorts she bought. Pearl's gem throbs in protest as the retraction, wishing she could reprimand Amethyst for being so vulgar at such an...inappropriate time as this. But also wishing she could pin her down to the coffee table right there and give Amethyst a taste of her own medicine. 

It really is terrible how many emotions she can experience in such a short amount of time and not be able to act on any of them. 

It's way easier to slip the shorts on, and unfortunately more agonizing on Pearl's end. This is the exact opposite of what she wants. Those are supposed to be coming off. In fact, the precise moment where she loses her mind is when Amethyst's thumbs deliberately caress the curvature of Pearl's hip bones. A small groan boils in her throat, which only earns sadistic chuckling from the other. 

* * *

Forgotten. No wind. No sound. As if existing outside the reaches of time. Kindergarten is a desolate, dark hole. Not that different from the sarcophagus for which Pearl was given her mysterious ailment. The warp pad hums, coming to life in a blinding glow. The three gems appear in the dissipating column of light, all carrying with them a mixture of fear and uncertainty.

Pearl, being held by Garnet, is carried off of the warp pad.

“Uh, she's goin' in my hole.” Amethyst decides verily, jumping off after them as she totes a backpack that she probably stole from a landfill somewhere.

The three of them look around the landscape, two of them quite used to the sensation of death it gives off. Amethyst on the other hand is completely unfazed. Massive, inoperative machines littering the monolithic gorge, carrying with it the countless earthy wombs of thousands of now deceased gems. 

Amethyst leads the way to her spot of choice. The fog overhead seems thicker today. Garnet looks down to her team mate as they follow the shortest one, cradled in her arms helplessly; wondering what thoughts fill that methodical gem of hers. Surely nothing positive. It's probably difficult the way things are right now to think anything optimistic, anyways. But at least she won't be left alone. This thought is at least somewhat of a comfort to Garnet.

With a running slide, Amethyst shoots herself into the hole she was produced in; a cloud of dust kicking up in her wake. “Okay just toss her in, G.” Her voice calls. Pearl twitches and grunts, hoping that Garnet won't comply with just tossing her.

The shorter gem pokes her head out. “It was a joke.” And she stretches out her arms to receive the bundle of immobilized Pearl. She's gently exchanged, like a box marked 'fragile'. 

“Welcome home P-pod.” Amethyst spells, working into the back of the small cave and sitting her upright. Pearl's eyes have to adjust to the darkness, and it takes longer because of the unknown orange haze in her vision that's been bothering her lately. Amethyst leaves the hole to go talk to Garnet for a moment. She looks around her at the unremarkable hollow; something about it certainly gives off an odd comfort...

The two teammates have a short conversation that Pearl can only pick up bits and pieces of. This irritates her; she should know whats going on. Maybe she's being paranoid and they're just talking about Steven or something. She looks to the tote bag that Amethyst brought along, assuming its filled with food items. In the side pocket, a small, rusted harmonica is observed. Does Amethyst play? She didn't know this. 

They really have grown apart in comparison to how they used to be.

The conversation ends outside, and Amethyst enters, behind her, Garnet is stooped over giving a short wave to Pearl before leaving. Pearl hopes that she'll come back shortly with good news.

The two gems exchange silent looks, with so much going unsaid. Amethyst sits close to Pearl, given the limited space of the hole. She slackens against the wall, relaxed. 

“Looks like its just us now.”


	9. Arc I - Guilty Pleasures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

Two hours into what Pearl thinks of as a waiting game, another storm rolls in. Amethyst has gotten rather comfortable, drifting in and out of sleep at the entrance of the small cave that Pearl has been cast into. Thrusts of brilliant lightning flash on occasion, bringing but a moment of illumination to the dim enclosure around her. When the wind changes direction, it sends water into the opening of the cave, arousing Amethyst from her sleep spell. 

She grumbles something and rubs her eyes, moving further into the cave. Pearl's skin prickles under the waves of cold air that come every so often, and wonders if Amethyst actually packed anything useful, like a blanket. Also, the ground is hard and uncomfortable so a pillow would be great to sit on. 

Amethyst lets out a dramatic yawn, and stretches with great exaggeration. Her spine pops several times.

“Yeah, this is...really boring.” She sighs, reaching into the bag next to her and retrieving that rusted up harmonica that Pearl noticed earlier. She rubs it off on her pants, examining it with a listless expression and blows on it haphazardly, creating a cacophony of erratic noises, testing to see if it works. Pearl's curiosity is drawn, having never heard Amethyst play anything but drums. Their eyes meet for a moment.

“Urgh, don't watch, it'll mess me up, P.” Amethyst gripes. Pearl rolls her eyes before closing them and lowering her head. “Yeah, that's what I thought, punk.” 

There is a familiar pause, followed by some timid, formless notes being played. It takes a while for Amethyst to find a rhythm. The notes become slow, almost sad. Humans might categorize it as 'blues' sounding. It's not Pearl's favorite instrument, but it's still nice to listen to. Better than sitting in silence. 

A yawn boils in her throat for a moment. She's tired of being tired-- if that's possible. She finds herself thinking of the moment-- if it ever comes, when she regains her ability to move. It just seems like a fantasy, anymore. It's hard not to get discouraged over the matter. And Amethyst's improv harmonica solo, although calming, is also becoming depression fuel for her own caged madness.

What if she stays like this forever? Will the gem's decide, after enough time has passed, to put Pearl out of her misery and just execute her? She shutters to think of the limited options she has. She doesn't want to be taken care of forever; and doesn't want Steven to have to see her like this. Ever. And what depresses her more is the idea that she may never get to express passion to Amethyst. She bites her lip weakly, making a small whimper that goes unnoticed under the sounds of Amethyst's exploratory instrumental playing. 

She guesses that this is what it's like for humans who survive horrific accidents; being left paralyzed. They make 'wills' for these instances. Documents that are a set of instructions on what to do if they die or become incapacitated. In some cases, they make it clear that if they are going to be bed-ridden for the rest of their foreseeable life, they prefer to be euthanized. To be put down if they can no longer experience life independent of care. Pearl trusts that the gem's will eventually come to this decision for her if she can't be salvaged. 

In a moment of dissolution, she tries forcing herself to move anything. All she manages is to form a bated, loose fist. 

She opens her eyes, looking to Amethyst again, who has already gotten bored of the harmonica and has elected to just staring out of the cave entrance.

Then she feels something new; something warm trickling down her face. She thinks it's a tear and becomes frustrated with herself for displaying such weak behavior. 

When Amethyst glances back to Pearl, her look of boredom is replaced with concern. 

“Shit.” Is all Amethyst offers, and moves in closer, wiping her hand across Pearl's face to wipe it away. When her hand retracts, Pearl is surprised to see more of that black liquid from this morning coating Amethyst's finger tips. 

“Uhhh...I'm guessing that this isn't normal.” She muddles with a look of disgust, observing it closely as she rubs it between her fingers. There's a small luster to it; were it not coming from Pearl's gem she would find it interesting. Amethyst reaches into her bag again, producing a small handkerchief and wiping as much of it off as she can. It leaves faded gray smears across her forehead, but Amethyst isn't one for being thorough, anyways. 

From the bag, Amethyst pulls a blanket, wrapping Pearl in it comfortably. She wishes Amethyst would get in with her. 

“This is getting weird.” She admits, sitting in front of Pearl with a certain stress marked on her face. 

Pearl makes a small hum, agreeing. They return to their usual silence for several minutes. 

Thunder crashes outside, surprising neither of them.

“Hey...I have an idea.” Amethyst reveals, “You and Garnet aren't gonna' like it...but...”

At this statement, Pearl knows that whatever suggestion Amethyst makes is going to be reckless, if not dangerous. But given the futile nature of the situation, she feels open to to anything. She gives Amethyst her undivided attention.

“What if we form Opal?” She asks bluntly. 

Pearl's mind raises an immediate red flag at the idea and creases her brows. Amethyst can tell from the subtle change in her face that she disagrees with the concept.

“I'm being serious, P.” Amethyst pushes. Pearl looks away, uncomfortable with the idea.

“It's not like we have any other ideas! And how do we know if Garnet can even find a cure? This has never happened before! None of us know what the hell is going on.” She contends. “We gotta try.”

Pearl remains negative, creasing her brows in such way to say a firm 'no'.

“What's the worst that could happen, Pearl?!”

 _What's the worst that could happen? What if when we fuse, it causes an explosion and obliterates us both!?_ Is Pearl's first thought, buy Amethyst continues trying, like an aggressive salesman selling a product on your doorstep that won't take no for an answer.

“Whatever is affecting you, obviously has no effect on me. Maybe if we fused and formed Opal, she'd be able to handle the radiation or whatever! And we could just stay fused until Garnet finds something. That way we don't have to sit in this damn hole for days or weeks just waiting around for nothing.”

Pearl, for a moment, feels slightly tempted. She likes the idea of forming Opal and being somewhat in control again. Being able to move and feel strong again. A bonus would be being fused with Amethyst. But the thought of this plan somehow bringing harm onto Amethyst or Opal is too powerful of a deterrent. She looks to the ground, denying Amethyst any sort of agreeable reaction.

Amethyst groans in frustration. “You guys never wanna try things my way.” She crosses her arms, leaning back against the wall. “You guys hate it when I rush into things and fuck up. You're too afraid to take risks because you don't like the idea that you might fail, like me! Well like, failure is my reality!”

At this statement, Pearl stiffens. She hates how little Amethyst thinks of herself. 

“see, you SAY that you don't see me as a failure, but I can tell from the look in your eyes that you don't see me as an equal. I'm just some stupid kindergarten runt who gets into a lot of trouble. Suck it up and do something risky, for once! I'm practically the physical result of a huge mistake, and I'm still here!” She demonstrates, gesturing towards herself as an example. Pearl grows disdainful at Amethyst's increasingly defensive attitude. The argument is one-sided and she's just getting all riled up on her own. It's ridiculous. 

“I don't care what happens to me.” She admits, looking to Pearl with a quiet anger. “You're like this because of me! Let me try to fix this! Let me do this for you, dammit!” Her voice becomes hoarse and desperate. 

Those words echo in her mind, becoming contorted and muffled until they begin to sound like herself. It wasn't too long ago that she said those words to Steven, and to Rose... It strikes a chord in her. 

Amethyst is so very similar to Pearl in the sense that she's willing to put herself at risk to spare the harm of others. Willing to do whatever it takes to right a wrong, even if it means destroying herself. It's saddening to see this, of all similarities being represented between them. Her expression maligns, still divided at the aspect of fusion. She just doesn't want to put Amethyst at risk...

Her eyes remain diverted, fearful to see whatever sorrow Amethyst is experiencing. 

“You think that it's easy for me to see you like this, P? It's hard enough for me to be a failure on my own, but now I have to sit here and look at you, suffering because I fucked up. I hate seeing you like this. It feels awful and I feel like shit. Don't you care at all how this is affecting us? Affecting me? I could fix this mess and you won't even let me try! You're so fucking stubborn it drives me crazy!” She yells, fingernails digging into her own legs in resentment. 

Pearl finally gathers the nerve to look back to her raging teammate, finding Amethyst's eyes to be stained with impassioned tears. The very sight of it is heartbreaking.

She swallows dryly, wishing she could hold Amethyst and tell her that none of this is her fault. 

Their eyes remain locked, each of them waging their own persuasions. 

Another blast of lightning initiates Amethyst into taking Pearl by the shoulders with intense finality. 

“Please.” She begs. Pearl looks away, finding the intensity in Amethyst to be...overwhelming. There is an urgency, a quiet intimation of despair in her voice. Pearl's mind, filled with all the negative outcomes fusing could have, becomes overloaded and shorts out, becoming idle static. 

She can't resist anymore. Pearl quietly acquiesces to the other's wish with a slow, emphatic exhale. Her only hope is that whatever happens to them, doesn't end badly. Amethyst is too insistent to turn down anymore, and she would hate to keep putting her through this agony. 

A quiet agreement is reached.

Pearl is lifted from the ground and carried out of the den into the downpour. If they were able to successfully fuse, they certainly wouldn't have fit in such a small enclosure. 

The rain is cold, but Amethyst is warm. Their emotions are turbulent, swelling with uncertainty, anguish, guilt, fear, and desperation. Amethyst looks to the delicate Pearl in her arms, soaked and vulnerable, and reaches her verdict. 

There cannot be dancing, given the circumstance. And so it is with slow, steady movement, Amethyst dips Pearl, mirroring the exact moment from when they first kissed just days ago. There is an aching sadness in Pearl, realizing that Amethyst may be doing this out of her own guilt-- resorting to this as a last chance for redemption. 

Their gems glow softly. In the moment of climax, Amethyst's lips lay claim over Pearl's mouth, capturing them in a decisive, emotional kiss. 

Their forms illuminate brightly, transmuting into one another, bonding and balancing their chassis into one omniscient entity. The light is unsure and sensitive at first, struggling to solidify. But finally, a harmony is established through the sweltering mess of emotions, and Opal emerges.

Her vision comes into focus. Looking down at her hands, she feels unsteady and dazed. 

Opal makes a few, cautious steps forward, as if acclimating to the sensation of being alive again. But something is off. She stumbles forward, holding herself against one of the disabled gem injectors near by, and a loud crash of thunder echoes in the distance.

This doesn't feel right. Something is wrong.

She feels weak, exhausted. Cold rain cascades down her body. She looks to her hands, clenching them into powerless fists. Within seconds, she drops onto her hands and knees while clutching the sides of her head. 

“I knew this was a bad idea.” She groans. “Why didn't you just listen to me? Why do you have to keep blaming yourself for what I've done? This didn't have to happen!” Opal's voice is coarse, and her strength is slipping away quickly. “I...I just wanted to help you.” 

Her body trembles, trying to hold itself together under the weight of panic and the toxins in her body. Fingers dig into the ground beneath her, trying to find an anchor, a center of gravity. A strangled cry emits from her mouth, beginning as a loud, singular scream that splits and fragments into two voices in unison. Her body, pounding and pulsating with light that threatens to unravel. 

She coughs, black fluid being expelled from her body in large quantities. Her strength runs out, and her form becomes unstable, erratic. 

The pain becomes too unbearable. 

In another percussion of bright light, Opal comes undone, forcing Amethyst and Pearl apart violently.

They both smack into the ground. Amethyst landing on her back, and Pearl on her stomach. 

Neither of them stir for a while. Their bodies feeling drained of energy. The storm seethes above them, building into a fantastic discharge of blinding radiance. 

Amethyst's mind is blank, and at first her body is numb. They aren't Opal anymore. Her plan failed. Feeling slowly returns to her fingertips first, and then to her arms, legs, and torso. She groans, feeling as if she'd been smacked with a waffle iron. Repeatedly. Her entire body is wracked with immense pain. 

Slow in getting up, she brings a hand to her forehead to quell her sudden, raging headache. She looks around her, and finds Pearl several feet away. But she's too weak to get up yet.

“Nnnngh...fuck.” She laments, clenching her eyes shut for a moment, trying to gather herself. Her voice cracks as she calls out to the other. “Pearl?”

Eyes opening, the smell of the soaked earth fills her senses. Pearl groans, her muscles tighten and quiver at the sensation of rain pounding against her skin. She digs at the softened ground beneath her and with great effort, she's able to get up onto her hands and knees. She gasps desperately for air, as if she'd been deprived for a millennium. With a tormented cry she forces herself to push passed all the pain in her body and manages to stand herself up, stumbling a few times along the way.

Thoughts of her team mate rush into her mind.

“Amethyst!” She wails, looking around frantically for the other. The rain makes it hard to see, but she finally locates the other, who is just now managing to stand herself. So they're both intact. Thank stars.

Pearl looks down at her own body, hardly believing in what she's seeing. She's standing. Moving. There is a mixture of excitement and relief sweltering in her chest. A weak smile forms, and she returns her gaze to Amethyst. 

With shaky, methodical steps she staggers over to the other, breathing heavily.

Amethyst, displaying the same physical distress, succeeds in standing to recognize her. She produces a weak laugh, mumbling a debilitated 'I told you so' under her breath-- as if she predicted this would happen. Pearl is too exhausted to roll her eyes.

They hold onto each other, providing stability through mutual fragile after-effects of their diffusion. 

Pearl's breathing is ragged, her grip on Amethyst hardens, testing her own strength, which is pitiful. But she's grateful to be able to touch Amethyst at all. And to be able to move again. Amethyst's hands are hooked around Pearl's waist, equally satisfied that the plan seems to have worked.

When they've become somewhat acclimated to the pain, they both decidedly take a seat on the ground, disregarding the rain.

“Well?” Amethyst insists, breathing poorly. “How do you feel?”

Pearl groans into her hand and clicks her jaw a few times, re-familiarizing herself with the ability of speech. “I...I feel terrible.” She admits. “But it's better than before...” 

“Urrgghhh...I have a headache.” Amethyst whines, leaning backwards until she's laying down again. She shuts her eyes, trying to cope with the pulsating migraine. 

Pearl observes her with a silent intensity. If it weren't for Amethyst's pushy, stubborn idea, who knows how much longer she would have been stuck like that? She becomes increasingly grateful to the smaller gem, who was willing to put herself at risk of the unknown for Pearl's sake. 

Something inside Pearl begins to unravel, and blossom; a powerful yearning. 

They're both completely soaked to the bone. She takes in the sight of Amethyst lying on her back. Rain drops clinging to her disposed frame. Clothes adhering to the exquisite curves of her body. Despite the presence of water all around them, Pearl's throat feels as dry as a desert. In the days that Amethyst has been caring for her, she'd been harboring a quiet desire; an impulse she couldn't act on. 

But now, she can. She can finally drink from the oasis that is Amethyst.

And she's _very_ thirsty. 

She finds herself reaching forward, insisting her hand into Amethyst's and working her fingers between the other's. At this, Amethyst opens her eyes, looking to Pearl questioningly. Their eyes lock onto one another, igniting an intense, and urgent flame. 

They don't need words to convey what needs to be done. 

“6”

Weak constitution aside, they return to the hollow. As soon as they've escaped the torrential downpour, Pearl gathers what menial strength she possesses and shoves Amethyst to the ground.

She falls with her, landing on top and clambering over to straddle her waist, immediately taking possession over the shorter gem's lips. The other responds positively, making a beautiful sound in her throat as she runs her hands down Pearl's saturated torso, claiming her hips with shaky hands. It's sloppy, desperate, demanding. Pearl's lips taking full advantage of the other's, drinking in the affection she'd gone so long without. Pearl feels wild, depraved.

She needs more.

Despite feeling as weak as she does, her lust for the gem beneath her drives her to keep going. Her fingertips ghost down the sides of Amethyst's face, trailing down her neck. Amethyst shivers under Pearl's touch, withdrawing from the kiss to steady herself for a moment. It is then that Pearl becomes intrigued by the thought that Amethyst, who normally teases and implies vulgarity on a daily basis, might actually be a timid mess when cared for, or exposed to sexual intimacy.

With her other hand, she mimics Amethyst's behavior from a few days ago, holding the shorter gem's mouth open with an insistent hand. Pearl captures the other's lower lip between her teeth, teasing her with gentle nibbling at first, followed by curling her tongue around Amethyst's. Pearl groans, finding that her own gestures leave her wanting so much more. She sinks her teeth into Amethyst's tongue, earning a protestant whine.

Pearl's lips curve in satisfaction, lapping her tongue over Amethyst's lips as a brusque apology, but reapplying her teeth to her lower lip, hard. She works her fingers around the other's neck, firm enough to establish dominance. Amethyst growls under the pressure, but harbors no intention to fight back. She's surprised to realize that the idea of Pearl taking charge is... actually a pretty exciting.

“Leg.” Pearl orders huskily, stealing another quick kiss. “Get your leg up, Amethyst.”

She waits, and Amethyst complies, slipping one leg around Pearl's waist, encouraging their bodies to become closer. The contact alone from Pearl's wet body drives Amethyst to a new extreme. Alabaster fingers work into a fragile grip under Amethyst's thigh to make sure it remains in place. And with a carnivorous greed Pearl begins rocking her hips against Amethyst's; deliberately slow and measured, knowing that the build up will only drive the other to the brink of insanity.

Their lips meet again, heated and passionate. Amethyst's hands slip onto Pearl's lower back to assist the friction between them. Pearl's continued grinning only makes the build-up more unbearable. Amethyst can only just barely vocalize the word 'fuck' into Pearl's mouth, to which the taller gem responds with a haughty “Be patient.”

Their movements are exhausting. The toll that the fusion has taken on their bodies is great. But the ecstasy of the moment feeds them the strength to carry on. Thunder crackles again outside, and this time, Amethyst is the one to be startled. Pearl takes the moment of shock as a queue to hasten her movements. Her hips work swiftly, and she sinks her teeth into Amethyst's neck, determined to eclipse the other gem with frenzied passion.

Amethyst's breathing is ragged, begging. Pearl's hands work themselves slowly over Amethyst's chest, fingers adapting skillfully to the curvature of each breast. The clothes must go, but not yet. She wants to take every opportunity to tease the other.

Amethyst quivers at the contact, arching her back ever so slightly in titillation. Pearl makes a noise of satisfaction, enjoying the control she has over her. She caresses and manipulates them with nimble fingers, Amethyst's nipples harden under the stimulation, and she cracks a deprived groan, clearly wanting to continue this without clothing.

She stops, withdrawing her hands from their purchase, only to remove her own shirt-- the horrendous 'twerk' apparel-- and she does so with great sensuality, lifting it slowly as Amethyst watches. The shirt is dropped, and they share a moment of silence. Amethyst taking in the sight of her topless Pearl-- this time for the right reasons; sexual reasons.

Pearl's body is deliciously soaked, and all hers for the taking. With cautious hands, Amethyst slips her fingertips along the definition of each breast, perfect and firm. Pearl shivers, enjoying the virgin contact. Of course she has read plenty of texts on human sexual intercourse, but as never experienced it for herself. And the concept of virginity does not necessarily concern her, or make this occasion difficult. She just wants to claim Amethyst in passion, and that's all.

She leans down, giving Amethyst a gentle, desirous kiss, and working her own hands beneath the hem of the other's shirt. The act of undressing another, in Pearl's mind, is quite intimate. And with weak, quivering hands she manages to slip Amethyst's first article of clothing off. Her hands return to Amethyst's breasts, rolling each nipple between her fingers rigidly, occasionally flicking them to make sure the shorter gem's attention is held.

Witless moaning escapes her throat, encouraging Pearl to dig her fingernails into soft flesh, dragging them down Amethyst's body, eventually coming to grip the edge of her leggings. She tugs on them weakly, her lack of strength making it difficult to maneuver them off.

And so Amethyst helps Pearl with this, kicking her boots off first. When completely naked, she frowns at Pearl's still-remaining shorts, reaching up to remove them herself. Pearl slaps her hands away and quickly pins them down to the ground, plunging down to bite Amethyst's lower lip. Her hold on Amethyst is poor, and feeble, but Amethyst decides to give the taller gem full control, finding this side of her to be absolutely arousing.

Their kiss returns to a heated mess of tongues, writhing over one another. Pearl's hands remove their hold over the other's wrists, and grants Amethyst's desire for Pearl to be completely naked. Her willowy fingers tremble from a mixture of deficiency, and excitement. They are slipped off with a small struggle, and it takes every ounce of will power for Amethyst not to ravage Pearl's body.

Amethyst rasps something incoherent. Pearl can only guess that Amethyst is growing frustrated-- impatient. And to further this torture, her spindly fingers collect under Amethyst's thighs, massaging them. Amethyst's impatience escapes in a small gasp as she is reduced to breathless shambles.

Pearl observes the gem beneath her, considerably between her legs. She doesn't need to touch her to know how wet she is.

She kneels down, placing sultry kisses along Amethyst's neck while her fingers continue their venture over her thighs. Amethyst's hips roll ever so slightly, in silent plea for the hands to wander. To this request, Pearl complies, allowing her hands to smooth upward, claiming Amethyst's hips delicately.

“Stop fucking around, P.” She foils, biting her own lip.

To this Pearl only smiles. “I haven't even started yet.” She whispers, just barely grazing her thumb over Amethyst's exposed clit. The shorter gem is immediately subdued, letting out a startled whimper.

“Good.” Pearl moans, strumming her fingertips over Amethyst's slick folds. She's positively saturated with arousal. Amethyst's hips rise, trying to get more. Pearl decides to take pity on the mess beneath her, and slicks her fingers hard against Amethyst's sex. Amethyst quivers nervously.

She's careful at first, kneading around Amethyst's opening; exploring and savoring the dripping chaos. Watching Amethyst's face is her favorite part of this. She's practically unraveling already.

“You're beautiful.” Pearl whispers, gently slipping the tip of her middle finger into Amethyst. At this, the shorter gem comes undone, letting out a paltry squeal. Pearl stops for a moment, looking down at the other in surprise.

“My my...Amethyst, I didn't know you could make such sounds.” She teases, calling back to their night on the couch when Amethyst titillated her in the same fashion.

Amethyst grunts, her face flaring with blush. “Urgh...shut up and fuck me already.” She begs, biting her finger in chagrin.

Pearl grins, acquiescing to the command by thrusting into Amethyst. She moans pleasurably, rocking her hips against Pearl's hand. Pearl decides to allow this, and steadies her hand, allowing it to linger while Amethyst plays against her, delighted to see her enjoying herself. But one thing bothers her, and that is Amethyst's eyes being closed. She removes her hand deftly, wiping the slick against Amethyst's thigh. The other protests, looking to the taller gem with irritated confusion.

“Look at me when I'm fucking you.” Pearl murmurs. Amethyst swallows dryly, strangely enticed at Pearl's obscene demand. She nods feebly, establishing desperate eye contact, and Pearl re-introduces her fingertips to the heated truss, this time allowing two fingers into her team mate.

Amethyst lets out a cry that descends into a lusting moan. Her hips rise, and Pearl accommodates this, slowly pushing in and out of her. Amethyst struggles to keep herself in one piece, looking into Pearl's eyes with sexual anguish.

“Good girl.” Pearl trills, feeling Amethyst contract around her fingers, and she curls them, exploring the slippery walls with curious abandon.

Then she hits something, something that causes Amethyst to moan breathlessly and claw at the ground beneath her. Pearl swears she can hear her own name just on the tip of Amethyst's tongue, driving her to repeat to the area she touched. She builds on this, swiveling her wrist and building her movements into steady pumps.

She allows Amethyst to close her eyes, wanting her to focus purely on the pleasure between her legs. The smaller gem's ragged breathing becomes a metronome to Pearl. Her fingers matching the rhythm precisely. Amethyst's hips join in, swaying in compliance with gratification.

Pearl's movements hasten as a third finger slips in, not unnoticed by the recipient. Amethyst rasps, arching her back in reply to the pleasure. Amethyst's sex is a dripping hot wreck and Pearl savors it, knowing that it's all because of her.

Suddenly, pearl takes up one of Amethyst's legs, forcing it upwards and allowing it to rest against her shoulder. Amethyst gasps, and Pearl thrusts harder into her, starting to pump in and out of her recklessly.

The pressure begins building in Amethyst, tell-tale by the sudden difficulty she has in keeping up with her breathing. Pearl decidedly enjoys this, and leans forwards to kiss the bundle of tension beneath her.

She capture's Amethyst's lips, wanting to make it more difficult for the gem to keep up with her. The kiss is hapless and messy, and Pearl is sure to fill the other's mouth with her tongue, asserting her authority by coiling around Amethyst's. Skillfully, while thrusting into her comrade, she leaves Amethyst's leg over her shoulder, and turns her free hand to Amethyst's clit, quavering her fingertips erratically over the nerves. Amethyst moans raggedly into Pearl's mouth, becoming debilitated at all the intimacy her body is absorbing. Her gem glows brightly, her orgasm imminent.

“Say my name.” Pearl instructs, lips hovering over the other's. Amethyst chokes for a moment, finding the concept of speech to be an impossible request. Pearl urges her again, beating her fingers into Amethyst faster.

Just barely audible, Amethyst stifles Pearl's name, over and over, voice frayed with a building pressure.

“Louder.” She demands, biting Amethyst's lip crudely.

“Peeeearrrll..” She strangles, Pearl's fingers crook harder inside her, and her other hand manipulates pointed fingertips over her clit rapidly, strumming her sex like a fine-tuned piano. And within moments, Amethyst's body convulses with the savage orgasm coursing through her. Her back stiffens in a tight arch and she repeats Pearl's name, loud and desperate. Pearl feels Amethyst's walls constrict around her, and she rides the orgasm out, waiting patiently for Amethyst to finish.

When her body slackens beneath Pearl, there is a moment of silence, filled only with their heavy breathing. Pearl gently lowers Amethyst's leg from her shoulder, staring down at her with softened reprieve. Amethyst sighs, contentedly, and wraps her arms around the taller

“6”

Pearl relaxes on top of Amethyst, resting her head on her soft chest, idly tracing invisible patterns in her skin. The passionate energy is transforming into that of cuddly satisfaction. Amethyst weakly runs her fingers through Pearl's hair, coming to rest on the back of her neck. The sounds of thunder rumbling the the skies overhead. Pearl is just a mess of limbs now, becoming lethargic and sleepy. She closes her eyes, focusing on the soothing sounds of Amethyst's breathing.

Amethyst swallows, gathering her words. “That was...awesome.” She admits, noticing that somewhere in the middle of their intercourse that her headache mysteriously subsided. Pearl hums observantly.

“Like...it really seemed like you knew what you were doing.” Amethyst gawks, and Pearl immediately picks up on the hint.

“I haven't done this before.” Pearl assures the other quietly, eyes still closed. Amethyst must be under the impression that Rose had once been the recipient of such affection, but the truth is that Pearl never got that close. She was never given the chance.

“Oh.” Is all Amethyst says, but with noticeable relief in her tenor. There is a silent tension between them that goes addressed. Amethyst, wondering if Pearl still had an inkling of love left for Rose, and Pearl wondering if Amethyst has ever had sex. But neither of them find the courage to ask such probing questions, wanting to enjoy the moment as it is. Blissful.

“Nnnggh...what are we gonna tell Garnet?” Amethyst mumbles, tracing small circles over Pearl's spine. Pearl moans softly, contemplating the question.

“We should probably wait...” She responds sleepily. “We don't know what we're dealing with, still.”

“Uh...well, you can move again. So I think we fixed the problem.” Amethyst decides, hand wandering down Pearl's back to take claim over the taller gem's buttock. Pearl sighs, a mixture of indulgence and doubt.

“We should still wait. Just in case.” She affirms quietly.

“Yeah, right...” Amethyst says with drained laughter. “You just don't wanna get up.”

“That is true.” Pearl concedes, smiling. She lifts her head up to give Amethyst another indolent, but loving kiss.


	10. Arc I - Thoughtful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which pearl is afraid of oral sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.
> 
> If you want some cute music for this chapter, I listened to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUJue7Xwh-E&list=PLy9aGTjp2oys8d2tTdy7MNw20cWSHiWT3&feature=iv&src_vid=V80EzF--UNk&annotation_id=annotation_4147939781) mostly when I was writing. c:

Amethyst slicks her own tongue around in her mouth, becoming aware of a strange metallic taste. Their bodies feel disposed, broken. After their sexual powertrip, they both lie huddled in the small cavern, Pearl's limbs draped lazily over the other, soaking in her delectable body heat. Amethyst is surprisingly awake, while Pearl is drifting in and out, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. The storm has quieted, but the rain still falls outside. 

Then, a familiar sound. The warp pad in the kindergarten is activated

“Awww shit, P. Wake up. I think Garnet is here! Get your clothes on!” She groans, pushing the lethargic pile of limbs away. She's weak, very much so. Pearl is significantly weaker, however, and only gives a noncommittal grunt in response while Amethyst shoves her own clothes on haphazardly, boots going on the wrong feet. Her hair is remarkably more messy than usual, and there's several marks covering her stout neck, unbeknownst to herself. 

Pearl huddles into herself in response to being cut off from Amethyst's body heat.

Amethyst panics internally, if Garnet sees Pearl naked and huddled on the floor like that she might get the wrong idea. “Dammit, Pearl! Get your shit together!” She squeaks, gathering Pearl's clothing and pulling Pearl out of her curled position. Her head throbs with a returning headache, and she feels dizzy. 

She just barely manages to get the shirt on when Pearl finally rouses from her stupor, eyes heavy with narcosis. “Wh...whats going on?” She mumbles, rubbing her gem delicately. The inside of her mouth tastes like metal, or lead, and its extremely unpleasant. 

“Pearl. Amethyst.” Calls Garnet from a good distance from the cave entrance. “I'm back.” She must know that the two of them are...indecent. Future vision being useful.

Pearl snaps to attention, feebly snatching her shorts from Amethyst and sliding them on. They're still somewhat damp, and this send chills of discomfort up her spine. 

“We're coming!” Amethyst yells, trying to smooth out her frazzled hair. Pearl looks down at herself, noting that the hideous twerk or treat shirt is inside out, she's too tired to give a damn.

“Can you get up?” Amethyst whispers, looking down to the weakened Pearl. 

“I...I think so.” She replies, unsure. With weak constitution she brings herself up on wobbly legs, with the help of Amethyst. “This doesn't feel right...” She trembles with a soft moan, holding her gem. “I'm so weak.”

“Yeah, same. So I guess fusion didn't really fix anything.” Amethyst sighs, disappointed. Leading Pearl out of the hole is slow, and difficult. “Garnet's gonna' be so mad.” 

There's silence. Pearl and Amethyst stand before Garnet, who has arrived in kindergarten as per her resolution to check in on them. The tallest of the gems stands confused, examining Pearl behind her shades. She makes a speculative hum, taking note of Amethyst's especially ravaged appearance.

“What happened?” Garnet asks.

Amethyst looks to Pearl, holding her up to keep her steady. 

“Uh...wellllllll...” Amethyst hesitates. “I might have...fused...with Pearl. But hey, look she can stand now!” She affirms with a nervous laugh, letting go of Pearl and gesturing towards her like some exciting product. She wobbles a bit before managing to stand up straight...ish. 

They both look to Garnet for some sort of reaction one way or another.

Garnet makes a sound indicating adversity. “But now you are both radioactive. And the problem is twice as big. That was a poor decision, you were just supposed to keep an eye on her...” She frowns, looking to Pearl as she can barely stand on her own. “However, I suppose since Pearl is able to move again, it might make things a bit easier..”

Pearl makes a discomforted groan, her throat feels sore. “...Did you find out anything useful about how to neutralize it?”

“I have several ideas, some of them are more risky than others.”

“What's the risky option?” Amethyst pitches, rubbing one of her eyes sleepily. 

“I could individually poof each of you, far away from one another, in a secluded location to release the radiation. Since you have fused, the immense radiation in Pearl has been halved, and the explosion resulting in poofing either of you might be less devastating, but I can't know for sure...”

“And the other option?” Pearl asks, feeling as if her legs are going to give out beneath her. She leans on Amethyst for support, who obliges by steadying herself and keeping an arm wrapped around the taller gem's waist.

“Iodine. There are places called 'Brine Lakes' around the world that have massive quantities of natural iodine. It's been used in the past on humans to counteract the effects of radiation exposure. However, their bodies are organic. I'm not sure how well it will work on gems. I'll need more time to investigate.” She explains with hands on her hips. “In the mean time, now you both need to stay away from the Beach House.”

“So all we need to do is go swimming in some weird lake or whatever? That seems way better than poofing us. Sign me up.” Amethyst replies. 

“How long would we have to be...submerged...in this 'lake'?” Pearl questions. “Iodine, in it's pure form of Iodide is mostly found at the bottom of lakes. If we were going to find one we'd have to essentially dive deeper than the standard sea bed.”

“Nerd.” Amethyst adds. Pearl just gives her a provoked side glance with a small growl. 

“It depends.” Is Garnet's answer. Pearl frowns.

“Do we really gotta stay here?” Amethyst interjects. “This place is boring.” 

Internally Pearl takes offense, wondering if their sexcapade earlier was 'boring' to her. She sours at the statement, looking away and focusing on a disabled gem injector. She feels sensitive all of the sudden.

“I suppose I can't force you two to stay here, but it would be much safer. Radiation destroys everything around it. This place is lifeless already. It's the perfect environment to keep hazardous materials.”

“Urghh...just poof us now.” Relents the purple gem. “How bad could it be?”

“I have no way of determining that. And as I have said before, the resulting explosion might devastate your gems.” 

“We'll just stay here. You go ahead and find out whatever you can.” Pearl relents with a sigh. 

Amethyst groans louder. “Can you at least bring us some magazines or something?”

Garnet cracks a smile. “I'll see. But something tells me you won't be needing them.”

“What is THAT supposed to mean?” Amethyst asks, squinting up at the tallest gem. 

“Nothing. I'm going to go now. I'll be back later. Try to stay out of trouble.” She chides, turning to leave. Pearl wonders for a moment if Garnet knows exactly whats going on between her and Amethyst. It's highly likely. There are few things in this vast universe that remain secret from Garnet, after all. When their conversation comes to an end, and Garnet has left via warp pad, the two remaining gems share a moment of melancholy. 

Are they going to talk about the sex now? About their relationship? Anything? 

Amethyst cackles roughly, looking up at Pearl in amusement. 

“...What is it?” Pearl asks with a distraught frown. 

“You just...look so different.” She grins, giving Pearl a slow look-over. Disheveled hair, clothes haphazardly thrown on and sloppy. Shirt inside-out. Barefoot and standing in the softened earth. She looks gaunt, and ravaged. “Kinda hot.” She adds candidly. Pearl blushes under such observations.

“I need a bath.” She replies, running thin fingers through her hair. “A hot one.”

“No way, I say you stay like this.” Amethyst attests, kneeling down to correct her boots being on the wrong feet. Pearl props herself against a boulder nearby. The rain has diminished into a faltering mist, and the sun struggles to shine through behind the thin cloud layer above. She has never felt so fragile. Her body is almost as dysfunctional as a human's at this point. Is this what it's like when a human feels 'sick', or catches a cold? The radiation is like an inhibitor on her gem; she can't regenerate her energy like before, and she is much more sensitive to pain and weakness. It's awful.

Pearl's attention returns to the small gem when she feels hands take hold of her hips. She looks down to Amethyst, carrying a soft curiosity.

“Whatcha thinkin' about, P?”

A small sigh escapes her lips, feeling the pull of gravity much stronger now. “I just...hate feeling this way. I feel so drained. I feel useless.” She huffs, looking to the warp pad. “I dislike waiting around and doing nothing.”

Amethyst seems at a loss for any helpful insight, and the struggle shows on her face. ”Well, uh...y'know...maybe we don't have to wait around here. There's gotta be other places on earth where people don't go.”

“Like the South Pole?” Pearl offers with sharp sarcasm. 

“No like..uh...what was that weird place you were reading about with all the funny drawings on the walls? That place was wrecked by a volcano or something, right?”

Pearl raises a brow. “Pompeii?” She confirms. “Well...I suppose no one lives there now. And I would like to see it for myself...” Her voice trails off, challenging the idea with logic. “But Garnet said we should remain here unti--”

“Until what? We get so bored that we decide to poof ourselves? What harm could it do to just pop in and take a look around?” She argues, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “And if we stay here much longer I swear I'm gonna hibernate.” 

“Amethyst we've only been here for about five hours.” Pearl drones, sniffling slightly from a runny nose. Pearl rubs the sides of her head, gem pulsating from standing for too long. “And gems don't hibernate. Not to mention that it's spring, now. Hibernation occurs in--”

“Damn P, you sure do like to run that pretty mouth of yours. I bet I could shut it up real quick.” Grunts Amethyst, giving Pearl a fatigued but somehow promiscuous stare. 

Pearl's cheeks flare with a blush, making a few incoherent fumbles.

“Let's get outta here.” Amethyst decides, holding out a hand to the other gem. 

“Are you...I mean...aren't we going to...talk about...?” Pearl stammers, staring at the extended hand.

“About what?” 

“No, nevermind. It's nothing.” She decides, taking Amethyst's hand. Maybe they don't have to talk about the sex. But she'd rather not leave it up in the air. After all, her last words before even going to Russia was that they would talk about it when she got back. She wonders if having sex with Amethyst only made things more difficult. Things aren't as simple as she'd like it to be. Amethyst could at least tell Pearl how it was...

“You're so weird.” Mumbles the shorter one as they slowly work their way to the warp pad. They can't jump like they normally do, so they shimmy up a ramp jutting from the gorge walls to reach it. Pearl is practically out of breath by the time they reach the pad, and has to stop for a moment to regain herself. Being this weak is embarrassing, if not degrading. 

“Do you know where you're going?” Pearl exhales, leaning against the wall for support. 

“Uh, kinda? What? It's in Italy or something right? What was that place called? Nipples?”

“NAPLES. It is called Naples, Amethyst. And there are 14 warp pads in Italy, you have to have SOME idea of which one you're going to.” She nags, finding Amethyst's impulsive behavior to be tiring.

“I got this, would you just chill out?” Amethyst quips, yanking Pearl away from the wall and carrying her bridal-style onto the warp. Pearl gasps at the gesture, clinging desperately onto Amethyst's shirt. As if she could be dropped at any moment. “Besides, you said that warp pads were built away from civilization, it's not like I'm gonna warp into the middle of a city and kill a bunch of people with 'radiation'.”

* * *

“You know, I'm not as dumb as you give me credit for.” Amethyst says. They've arrived outside of Naples on the first try. “What do you think I did in the two days you were out cold?”

“I don't follow.” Pearl says frankly, looking around at their unfamiliar surroundings, relaxing into Amethyst's hold. It's midnight, or around that time. Stars litter the sky generously. It's quiet, and slightly warmer as opposed to the cool rain in the Kindergarten. 

Amethyst rolls her eyes. “I was bored so I went looking for the place you were reading about.”

Touched at the idea, Pearl's face blushes again. 

“I just don't get why you haven't already been here. I mean, you've been on the Earth for like five-thousand years, I thought you've been everywhere there is to know on Earth.” She says, walking in a direction that supposedly leads to their destination. 

Pearl contemplates for a moment, wondering herself why she never explored the Earth as much as she would have liked. “I suppose I was just too...focused on other things.” And by other things she means Rose, of course, but she wouldn't dare say this to Amethyst. Not right now. Now when things are so tender between them. 

She rests her head on the other gem's shoulder, focusing on the warmth. How wonderful is it to be able to touch Amethyst again. Even if it is the slightest of expressions or subtle touches. Gratefulness washes over her. You never know what you have until its taken away from you. 

“You don't have to carry me, you know.” Pearl says quietly, tracing her index finger along the rim of Amethyst's gem. “You must be as exhausted as I am.” She adds. Amethyst tokens her usual shrug and a vague murmur. 

The walking goes on for quite some time, through barren farmlands and small forests. A few farm houses garner Pearl's attention, and she wonders if maybe this is too dangerous. Humans seem to have encroached on the area surrounding the ruins of what was once a great city. She wonders how far away they should be from others to prevent contamination. This is dangerous ground they're treading on. She would hate to accidentally cause the death of the humans they've been trying to protect. 

The atmosphere around them is quiet. Pearl's thoughts occupied with that of intrigue. Amethyst has been showing a side to herself that Pearl has only ever seen in small spurts, conservatively spaced apart in occurrence. She's affectionate, caring, honest...and thoughtful. She contemplates if Amethyst represses this behavior and only acts out because she's frustrated that she has no outlet for romance. But to say that would mean Amethyst's character in its entirety is just a falsehood; a facade. Pearl decidedly pins Amethyst's wild personality as her being herself. A gem can be caring and considerate while also being a wreck. Not everyone is a consistent personality type, right?

You wouldn't know it at first, but the ruins of ancient Pompeii come into view just as they cut through a small thicket of trees. Across a modern road, they enter into the time piece. Great, crumbling ornate pillars caress the cobblestone roads, and remnants of buildings create enclosure around them. Amethyst allows Pearl to walk on her own, gently letting her down. 

Pearl can't help but be taken by the locale. Like observing the remains of what was once a great and powerful being. Earth's history is fascinating, diverse and cultured. Homeworld had a singular culture, whereas Earth has hundreds, thousands being contained in such a small globe. Rome is one of her favorites, being so enveloped with the concept of romance, courtship, honor, and power. 

Mindful of her own strength, Pearl works over to the first building on her right, running her fingertips over the jagged brickwork that was once buried beneath tons of volcanic ash. If only she would have come here before such devastation. Seen how the city came to life. Witness the culture for herself. It puts into perspective the brevity of human mortality. How relentless time can be, as well as nature.

Amethyst follows, watching Pearl closely as she gets lost in the ancient ruins. The book certainly didn't do it justice. It's far more magnificent than what was displayed on pages. Pearl enters the next building, observing what was probably once a kitchen, or a bakery.

The moon is bright overhead, casting shadows throughout the foundations. Pearl uses a dull glow from her gem to see the immaculate designs etched into the walls. Homeworld has its own beauty, sure, but mankind had a way with implementing art into everything they did, at least a long time ago they did. 

Amethyst is infatuated, mostly with Pearl. Finding her curious nature to be charming. She loves how Pearl reacts to new things; she gets this fervent look on her face, absorbing knowledge with a quiet excitement. Amethyst grins, trying to seem aloof.

“You gonna fuck the walls or what?” She jokes, leaning in the door way. Pearl doesn't respond at first, observing the arches overhead. 

“You know...” Pearl begins softly, ignoring Amethyst's crude humor. “Despite humans being among the most repulsive life forms, they certainly have a way with colonization and landscaping.” 

“Yeah yeah. Where are the funny drawings?” Amethyst charges, looking around at the plain walls that look as if they're about to crumble at any moment.

“Those 'funny' drawings, are explicit, erotic depictions of human reproduction. You'll only find them on the walls of...” She pauses, hesitant at the term. “...Whorehouses and brothels.” 

“Okay well where are those at?”

“How should I know? I'm not going to actively search for that...filth.” She shutters, running her fingers over a dusty counter top. 

Amethyst hums pitilessly, wandering outside the building on her own. Pearl is slow to follow, taking in her surroundings with fascination. When she steps back outside onto the cobblestone, she sees Amethyst a few meters away, peering down at something, clearly amused. Pearl is hesitant to investigate, but walks over to join her anyways.

“What is it, Amethyst?” She asks plainly. Then her eyes follow Amethyst's gaze to a conformation carved into the ground. It's a phallus-shaped engraving. Pearl rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Honestly...” And she walks off, looking around at the other buildings lining the street. Amethyst snickers, and follows.

“Why are there dicks everywhere?” She asks, noting the small phallus etchings on a building they pass. Pearl sighs, not necessarily wanting to talk about it, but can't resist the opportunity to show off her knowledge of the subject.

“In ancient Rome, the herald of...male sexual organs, was a symbol of power, wealth, and good luck. It also meant to promote fertility, and ward off thieves. As to why they chose such a horrible image to represent these things is beyond me. If you ask me, it's completely idiotic.” She explains, folding her arms under a sudden cold breeze. 

“It's hilarious.” Amethyst decides in contrast. Pearl smiles, ducking into another building. There are dry basins with ornate trimming lining a great hall, indicating that this was at one time, a bathing forum. 

“These are community baths.” Pearl begins, unprompted. Amethyst grins, finding it cute when Pearl decides to showcase her comprehension over even the smallest things. “Much like how in modern human society, there are public laundromats, coffee shops and other businesses, community baths were for the public to gather, converse, hold business meetings, and clean themselves. One hall was used for women, and the other for men. Private baths in-home was something of a luxury, so 90% of Roman citizens bathed together.”

“Why did humans stop doing that? That sounds fun.” Amethyst comments, thinking of modern man, and again how funny it would be if they all gathered in the nude. 

“Over the course of mankind's history, leading a private life became much more viable. Therefore, with the advancement of plumbing systems and technology, everyone came to eventually own their own washrooms. I think that along with these advancements, man just became much more self-conscious and reserved with the concept of nudity.” She finishes, rubbing her forearms to try to get warm. When did it get so cold? Pearl turns her attention to the walls, covered in faded frescoes depicting Romans bathing and conversing. 

Suddenly, she is infatuated with the idea of bathing with the shorter gem following behind her. The passionate imagery flashing through her mind of the two of them submerged in hot water, viscid steam rising from the surface, gently cleansing one another with warm cloths. Perhaps leading into passionate kisses and gentle touches. If only the bath at home were sizable enough for such adventures. 

“Yo, P. What are you doing?” Amethyst's voice grabs, pulling Pearl away from her fantasy. 

Pearl stands at the edge of an empty bath, looking down into it. She must have spaced out. “Oh, sorry. I got...distracted.”

“Do you wanna sit down for a bit?” She asks, genuinely concerned. Pearl shakes her head.

“No, I...I'm alright. I'm just cold.” She admits as they exit the baths. For the most part, the rest of the street is lined with unremarkable, dilapidated buildings that must have been homes or bakeries. Vines are beginning to lay claim to the ancient dwellings. She wonders if Vesuvius hadn't destroyed this city, if there would still be people living here. 

They come to a crossroad, a large building sitting midst the corner. Pearl recognizes this building from the book, and hastens to move past it before Amethyst can express intrigue. But Pearl isn't sly, and Amethyst picks up on this.

“What's in there?” She asks with a mock-innocence.

“Nothing...important. I'd rather go see the Macellum. It should be a few blocks down from here...” 

“Oh okay.” Amethyst says, but just as quickly darts into the building in question. Pearl groans, pulling her hair lightly in frustration. 

“Amethyst get back here. I'm not going in--” She stops as the shorter gem disappears from her view. She waits outside, looking up at the large structure with a certain embarrassment. 

This is the Lupanare-- the only building in the city built solely for the purpose of selling sex. She'd rather not have to look at the vulgar paintings lining the walls inside, but she also doesn't want to be separated from Amethyst. And so, Pearl treads cautiously in slow pursuit of the other gem. 

“How can you have so much energy?” Pearl calls out, exhausted as she enters the small foyer. There is a faint echo, but no response. Where did she go? 

There is no subtlety, the walls are absolutely covered in lewd depictions of sex. From heterosexual intercourse to threesomes. Nothing is sacred and nothing is censored. She keeps her eyes to the floor for the most part, taking time to peer into each of the small rooms to either side of the foyer. Each room is plain, having only a roughly-carved stone bed inside. Back then, these would likely have been covered with plush pillows and blankets, with nothing but torchlight to illuminate the...business transactions. 

“Amethyst, where did you go?” She demands hoarsely. Again, no response. She groans, rubbing her arms in attempt to create at least some warmth. Her gaze fixes to a narrow set of stairs leading upwards. To her knowledge, the upstairs of the Lupanare was for more...expensive prostitutes. With more luxurious furniture and even more lewd imagery. Pearl stands at the base of the stairs, wondering if Amethyst is just being playful and wants to jump out and scare her at any moment. 

“I'm coming up the stairs Amethyst, don't even think of trying anything!” She warns, slowly maneuvering the cramped passageway. This would be where the wealthy clients would travel to receive their high-priced pleasures. Taking in exquisite wine and delighting themselves on the flesh of lustful, young prostitutes in solo sex or massive orgies.

The idea of Pearl traveling these stairs to meet Amethyst for such reasons is an interesting thought. Were the place warmer and furnished properly she MIGHT entertain the idea of making love here. But there's no way she'll succumb to those desires on a hard, cold surface such as the carved beds she'd witnessed downstairs. 

Reaching the top, the room is more spacious, and there are no stone beds. Meaning there must have, at some point, been wood furnishings. Faded images of orgies and sexual exchanges invade Pearl's vision. 

“Urgh...Amethyst are you up here?” She meanders into the next room, where there are a few wooden beds, probably put here by tour guides for presentation purposes. They have thin mattresses on top for show, but no pillows, probably stolen at some point. 

A loud screaming floods Pearl's ears, and she reacts by jumping, losing her balance and collapsing onto the floor. Amethyst's neurotic cackling soon follows. 

Pearl looks up to the shorter gem, soured by the immature scare tactic. 

“Amethyst!” She reprimands, slowly getting herself up; which turns out to be more a struggle than she'd imagine. “What is your problem?!”

“Chill chill, P. Take a breather. I was just having some fun.” She dismisses with a wave, smile fading and being replaced with worry. “I'm sorry.”

Pearl softens, slowly. “It's..fine, Amethyst. I know you're just playing.” She regains herself, looking around the room. It's very plain, but she caves in and decides to observe the awful artwork on the walls, since Amethyst lured her all the way up here. 

First painting is of a female, squatting awkwardly over a male and...riding him. The proportions and anatomy in the painting make it uncomfortable to look at, so she switches her gaze to another. A woman is on her knees, being...spent from behind by darker-skinned male. Pearl scoffs, noticing how a majority of these paintings are of a heterosexual nature. 

The third one she looks at is of another woman, again, on her hands and knees with a man behind her, but there is a third man behind the first one, doing him from behind. She shutters at the display, but finds a strange machination in knowing that homosexuality wasn't as taboo as it was in other cultures. 

Pearl's eyes flicker to the next, showing what looks like a female giving oral to another. Her face flushes, wondering if Amethyst is looking at the same one. She shivers, thinking what it'd be like to experience it for herself, but is also slightly repulsed at the idea of her mouth going anywhere near such an intimate place. It can't possibly taste good.

Pearl keeps walking, coming to stop at one of the beds and observing the paintings on the wall next to it; only she's not really focused on it, more occupied with the other gem's silence beside her. She glances to Amethyst, suspicious that she hasn't made any risque jokes yet. She is met with Amethyst's own gaze, which feels...electrifying. Pearl heats up immediately, wondering if Amethyst has been indulging in the same erotic thoughts.

Moonlight floods in from a near by orifice that used to be a window.

“I can't take it anymore.” Amethyst says quietly. The taller gem is confused at this.

6

“I...is something wrong?” Pearl stammers, doing poorly to mask her sudden arousal. 

“I've just been itching to fuck you.” Amethyst growls, shoving Pearl onto the bed, the mattress isn't soft, at all, and Pearl can feel her spine aching as it presses into the wood frame beneath. Pearl gasps at the sudden gesture, now eye-level with the shorter gem.

“Ameyth..” Pearl begins, cut off by Amethyst's lips clattering against her own, hungry and demanding. She is quick to surrender, biting into Amethyst's lip with equal greed. She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't want Amethyst to wreck her, not unlike the frescoes they'd been observing.

Amethyst's hands make quick work of removing Pearl's shorts, to which Pearl responds with a sharp exhale against the other's lips, reaching down to cover her exposed sex. The shorts are deposited on the bed and forgotten.

“Don't be shy, P.” Amethyst hums, grasping Pearl by the wrists and fastening them to the sad mattress beneath them. Her legs spread of their own accord, and she silently reprimands herself for such a desperate reflex. Amethyst takes advantage of the opening, pressing herself between the lithe gem's legs and grinding against her in a deliberately slow bearing. 

Pearl's body quivers into a furious mess at the contact, curling herself and preying onto Amethyst's mouth, expending her energy into an equally messy kiss, already desperate. With each drag of Amethyst's hips, Pearl is nudged further along the path leading to her ecstasy. 

She moans discordantly as Amethyst's tongue intrudes her parted lips, flourishing against her own tongue ravenously. Bucking her hips to get more from the other, Amethyst quirks a smile, driving Pearl to wrap her legs around the shorter gem in sexual despondence. 

Amethyst, feeling a new dampness forming against her clothes, breaks the kiss abruptly. “Jeez, P, you're really wet.” She teases, halting her movements to slip a hand down between her legs, swiping her middle finger over Pearl's folds, making her tremble instantly. 

She opens her eyes to catch Amethyst licking the residue from her fingertip, seemingly pleased at the taste. Pearl is a mixture of appalled, and aroused at the sight.

Small kisses are planted against Pearl's thighs, beginning at her knees and working up towards her cunt. And there's a moment of pause, Amethyst's mouth just lingering before her prize. Pearl's throat trembles with a scorching moan in anticipation. 

And at the moment Amethyst's lips make contact, Pearl reaches down swiftly, pushing Amethyst's head away abruptly.

“What the hell Pearl?!” Amethyst asks, caught off guard, face flushing a deep purple.

“Wh...what are you doing?!” She squeals, shrinking away and clamping her legs shut. 

“Uhm...well I was gonna go down on you.” Amethyst explains flatly. Pearl makes a disturbed noise.

“G-go...down?” She puts the words together in her mind until the click. She means oral sex. “That's...that's horrible...and..barbaric!” she argues, denying her own urges to actually try it. “That can't possibly taste...I--”

“What, you've never had it before?” Amethyst interrupts with a sly grin. Pearl falters at the question. Of course she hasn't. But does that mean Amethyst HAS does it before? She comes to wonder just how _experienced_ Amethyst is in sex. 

“...You...have?” Pearl asks sheepishly, unsure if she wants to know the answer. What is this nervous feeling in her stomach? 

“Uh, well...I mean, yeah?”

The warmth in Pearl's body drains instantaneously. Jealousy? Is this feeling jealousy? She stammers over her words for a moment before asking. “...Wh..with who?” She can't recall Amethyst ever being close with anyone before, not in THAT way. Was it Greg? She feels exposed, and awkward; wanting to put her shorts back on and pretend this never happened. 

Amethyst groans, frustrated that the moment is being ruined with such a trivial question. “It was a long time ago, P, it's not a big deal. And it didn't really mean anything, we were just messing around back then.”

Amethyst, despite existing for a shorter time than Pearl by thousands of years, has had more sexual experience than her. Pearl is admittedly envious. She is reacquainted with the cold air, rushing in through the window near the bed. 

“Who was it?” She asks again, wounded.'

“Oh my god P, it doesn't matter! Don't make a big deal out of nothing..” Amethyst counters, somewhat saddened that Pearl is taking the news this way. When pearl doesn't respond, Amethyst gives in all too easily. “It was Vidalia, but we were just fooling around at a party. It meant nothing. You were all freaking out after Steven was born and no one would talk to me so I started mixing things up.”

That leather-clad heathen that hung around Greg? That Vidalia? Pearl shutters at the stark contrast between her and herself. Uninvited images flash through Pearl's mind of all the times she'd seen Amethyst and Vidalia hanging out back then. She had no idea things were ever...like that at any point.

Pearl resigns, reaching for her discarded shorts. Her wrist is apprehended by the shorter gem. 

“Ugh, Pearl, c'mon, you can't let things that happened a long time ago ruin whats going on right now! Don't be stupid...” Amethyst hassles, trying to get at least a second of eye contact. “You don't see me making a big deal out of your relationship with Rose, do you?”

“Things never got that way between us!” Pearl snaps, tears threatening to well up, suddenly reminded of how she was ultimately rejected by the woman in question. Amethyst looks genuinely shocked, glancing away in embarrassment for assuming things. 

“Oh...” Amethyst replies poorly. “So you've never, uh...?” 

“I've only read about it...and watched a few things... I never thought I'd actually...perform. Which is why I...” She chokes. She feels inadequate somehow. What if Amethyst has had better sex with...that other woman? What if Pearl's attempts at lovemaking earlier was pathetic; amateur, in comparison? 

“Oh. Damn.” The shorter gem concedes, letting go of Pearl's wrist and letting her retrieve her garments.

There's painful silence as Pearl slips them back on, avoiding any sort of eye contact. She sits on the edge of the bed, fixing her gaze down at her delicate legs. Amethyst lets out a long sigh, planting her face into the bed next to Pearl, followed by muffled groaning. 

“I'm sorry.” Amethyst confesses quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you are confused as to why Amethyst is less affected by the radiation, I base their susceptibility on the level of their gem's hardness. When they fused, the radiation was split evenly between them, so when they defused they came to have the same amount of radiation in them (about 20,000 roengents per gem). Pearl's gem is soft, and porous; rating at a measly 2.5 on the Mohs scale. Amethyst's gem is rated at a 7, so she is able to withstand the effects much better. I hope this clears things up!


	11. Arc I - Exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gems go skinny dipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

The horizon is pink with the imminent sunrise, and the decaying remains of Pompeii are blanketed in a cold fog. In the Lupinare, on a thin display mattress, Pearl and Amethyst lie together. Despite Pearl being significantly taller, Amethyst has taken it upon herself to be the big spoon, keeping Pearl wrapped in a warm hug. Before they'd drifted off to sleep, Pearl's shivering had gotten worse, which encouraged Amethyst to share her body heat. 

Last night was...emotional, to say the least. Despite Amethyst's constant reassurance that she didn't compare Pearl to Vidalia, Pearl continued to feel foolish and inadequate. Pearl no sooner decided that she'd talk about it later. 

...Much later. And eventually, tired from penniless controversy, they fell asleep.

Pearl is the first one to withdraw from her slumber. The warmth against her back is comforting, and she finds herself scooting backwards for more, wishing the warmth could swallow her whole.

The shorter gem stirs a little at the movement; mumbling something sleepily and adjusting her grip on Pearl before nuzzling into the back of her neck. Pearl is delighted, to say the least. Her eyes wander to the window above the bed, acknowledging the early sunrise. 

But then she sees the disgusting murals of sex littering the walls and is reminded of what almost happened last night. How Amethyst almost put her mouth in...places. The familiar feeling of jealousy reclaims her stomach. 

She doesn't want to be so petty... Amethyst seemed genuine that her escapades with Vidalia really meant nothing-- but it's just the idea that Pearl went headlong into showing intimacy to Amethyst under the impression that they were at least on...equal standing, in terms of sexual experience. And the idea that Amethyst even entertained the thought of Pearl and Rose ever being so close only makes her wonder if her feelings for Rose are truly gone...

Just the thought of Amethyst being indecent with someone else ever, is discouraging, if not depressing. And Pearl, being the perfectionist she is, heavily depends on feedback and encouragement-- but it's not like she can just ask Amethyst to rate the sex on a scale of 1-10. Pearl would admit that it was a bit...sloppy. Rushed. 

Perhaps it would have been best to just wait until all this radiation business was over. But at that moment when she was able to move again, she was just so caught up in the moment that she wanted to express her...appreciation. She definitely wants to do it again, though, preferably not in a gem incubation hole.

Just then, a bird flutters into through the window, perching on one of the wooden rafters in the ceiling. Pearl's attention is captured by the small creature; mostly because it's the first life form she'd seen in days aside from Amethyst and Garnet. She is overcome with a sadness; wanting to see Steven again. The boy has a way with making all the problems in the world seem...so small. Like how when one stares out into the ocean to feel calm. That's the feeling Steven gives her. She'd give anything for a hug from the boy.

Garnet.

They should probably get back to kindergarten...She's probably popped in by now wondering where they've gone. 

But Amethyst is so warm. 

And with how things ended last night she'd really just rather never speak again ever. She's embarrassed; she knows she overreacted but she just can't help feeling jealous. 

It is with great reluctance that she gently pushes away from Amethyst and tries sitting up. Try, being the keyword; her body feels worse than it did yesterday. It must be a mix of the radiation and this poor excuse for a bed. Amethyst is drawn out of sleep at the disturbance. 

“Mmm. What's wrong, P?” She asks groggily, rubbing an eye. 

Pearl clicks her jaw a few times. “We should get back to the...kindergarten.” She replies, dragging her words. “Garnet must be concerned.”

“Nnnngghh. Just a few more minutes.” She argues, reasserting her embrace over the taller gem. 

Pearl laughs weakly. “A few minutes to you is a few days. Come on.”

“No.” She puts firmly, tightening her hold on Pearl.

“Wh...Amethyst. Don't be difficult.” groans the taller gem, trying to wriggle free but failing horribly. She's too weak to put up any sort of struggle.

Suddenly, a pair of warm lips attack Pearl's neck, planting unbearably soft kisses over and over. Pearl collapses beneath the sensation-- being too ticklish, and she immediately reacts with distraught giggling.

“AmeTHYST...STOP!” She gasps between uncontrollable laughter. However, despite her requests, Amethyst only becomes more persistent, seemingly enjoying the torture. She feels Amethyst's lips curve into a vicious smile. 

Apparently in the mood for exploring more of Pearl's weaknesses, Amethyst's grip slackens, but is replaced by intrusive hands at her sides, tickling her relentlessly-- Pearl's laughter becomes more neurotic and loud between that and the assault on her neck.

Amethyst's snickers wickedly against Pearl's neck, which is kind of arousing, but unfortunately the tickling makes it impossible to enjoy. Pearl's body tenses in reaction to the stimulation, as if trying to harden against the attack. 

“St-stop it!” She chokes, trying desperately to get away, only managing to arch her back away from the other, but unfortunately not out of reach. Tears collect in Pearl's eyes, unable to cope with the sensation overload. “P-please!” She tries, wondering I manners could possibly get her out of this madness. 

Supposedly this works, and Amethyst stops her hands immediately, finishing on Pearl's neck with a less ticklish, but firm kiss. She is relieved, sighing and relaxing finally. A gentle kiss is placed over Pearl's cheek, and then on her lips, to which Pearl is eager to reciprocate. 

They kiss lazily, warm lips slipping against each other with a soft passion. Pearl's arms drape over Amethyst's shoulders, contentedly. And Amethyst's hands find better places to wander, slipping down to Pearl's waist, seemingly innocent at first. But then Amethyst dips her middle finger beneath the hem of Pearl's shorts. It lingers there while their kissing continues. Softly, Amethyst bites Pearl's lip, tugging gently and lapping her tongue over it. It's amazing how little it takes for Pearl to get turned on. Despite her reserved semblance, she breathes a feathery moan against Amethyst's lips, which to the other gem is an invitation, apparently. 

When Amethyst's hand advances beneath Pearl's shorts, she groans in protest, reaching down to arrest the other by the wrist. 

“Nnn...why not?” Amethyst growls, slipping her hand out and resting it on Pearl's thigh. 

“I...I don't think I'm ready.” She lies, giving Amethyst an apologetic kiss. She can't really admit that she's still troubled over the thought of Vidalia and Amethyst. 

Amethyst makes a throaty protest. “That's bullshit, P. You wanted it last night.” 

“How can you be so sure?” Pearl breathes, becoming painfully focused on the pressure against her thigh. She doesn't have to look to Amethyst to know that she's grinning.

“Uh, you were wet as fuck.” She says bluntly, squeezing Pearl's thigh for emphasis on the word 'wet'. Pearl's face heats up. 

“You know, being 'wet', doesn't always coincide with arousal in the female genitalia. It can actually indicate clea--” 

“Ohoho, you were horny. Don't even play.”

“Amethyst! That word is so...filthy.” She cringes.

“I can show you filthy.” Amethyst retaliates, digging her fingertips into the lithe inner thigh temptingly. Pearl bites her lip, becoming unraveled at the slightest gesture. 

“I...I'm not ready.” She says again, trembling with inner conflict. 

Amethyst respectfully pulls her hand away. “A'ight.” She sighs. “Jus' let me know when you ARE.” She grins, rolling off of the bed. 

Pearl looks down at her legs, missing the warmth, but satisfied to know that Amethyst is respectful enough not to keep pushing her. 

“Uhhh, P?” Amethyst hesitates, looking at the floor of the room. “Lets get back to the warp pad.”

Pearl raises a brow, scooting to the edge of the bed to follow Amethyst's gaze. 

There are several dead birds scattered about the floor. A horrible feeling of guilt churns in Pearl's stomach. Is this because of the radiation they brought with them? She brings a hand up to her mouth in shock, looking to Amethyst for any semblance of comfort, but is just met with the mirror image of culpability. 

They leave the building without another word.

The ruins of Pompeii seem much different in the morning light; Pearl wishes they could stay and investigate a bit more; but seeing as the negative effect they've had on the small wildlife already, remaining here wouldn't be enjoyable, if not safe. 

As they walk in silence through cobblestone alleyways, the alabaster gem runs her fingers along the walls of broken buildings, getting lost in her own thoughts. Amethyst is consequentially silent, but within a few minutes reaches for Pearl's vacant hand, holding it gently. The taller gem is taken by the small gesture, blushing softly.

The shorter gem hesitates to speak. Something needs to be said. She wants Pearl to know that whatever happened in the past isn't going to affect whatever...relationship they have right now. Unfortunately, Amethyst is not the best at words, and even worse when it comes to speaking her feelings. 

“So uh...P.” She starts quietly. Pearl's grip on the other's hand tightens a little, as if already anticipating the sensitive discussion. 

“Yes?” 

Amethyst gathers herself, eyes fixed to the ground as they travel. “Does it really bother you that I've been with someone else?”

A pitiful sigh escapes Pearl. She mulls over a response, finding the question to be fair, all things considered. “No. I mean...yes? I don't know. I don't necessarily...mind it. It's over and done-with...but I suppose...if anything, it makes me wonder if I'll ever be on-par with her?” She questions indirectly. “It seems so petty, no matter how I word it. I know I'm just making a fool of myself, fretting over something as small as...sexual performance...how would I know if I'm doing anything...right?”

They turn a corner, entering one of the main roadways towards the abandoned city's outlets. Amethyst contemplates a response.

“What you mean like...you're worried that the sex I had with V was better?”

“...In a sense.” Pearl replies flatly with a twinge of embarrassment. 

“I only did it once, P. I hardly remember it. I don't even think I came, honestly. We were both really drunk.” She admits with an awkward laugh. This is somehow comforting to Pearl.

“So um...may I ask how my...performance was?” She inquires, coming to a stop in the middle of the road. Pearl's eyes fix onto Amethyst's, anticipating the feedback.

“Oh jeez, Pearl.” Amethyst grumbles. “Do you have any idea how weird that sounds? It's not like...a test or anything.”

“But was it...I mean, did you enjoy it?” Pearl tries again, desperate for some sort of confirmation.

Amethyst laments with a dramatic exhale. “Of course I did! I came, didn't I?”

“What if you faked it?” Pearl argues quickly.

“Oh my god. Do you have any idea how paranoid you're being?!” She laughs.

“Please tell me how I did. I need to know.” The taller gem argues plaintively. “Like...on a scale of one to ten, how would you ra--”

“PEARL.” Amethyst testifies restlessly. They share an awkward moment of fruitless silence. The purple gem yields with a sigh. “It was...good. Like...REALLY good.” she blushes, smacking herself in the forehead in humiliation. “Like...I'm honestly surprised that it was your first time because holy shit...P, what you do with your fingers...like damn...”

Pearl falls silent, overcome with a mixture self-satisfaction, and amazement. “...Really?”

Amethyst melts at the sight of the happy gem, knowing that most of Pearl's life has been spent seeking approval and encouragement from others. The happiness is infectious, and they are soon smiling at each other with profound blushing. 

“Yeah, really. Really. So stop worrying about it, will ya'?” 

The taller gem acquiesces, resuming their walk without further questioning. 

* * *

The Kindergarten warp pad flashes, and the two gems return with reluctance plastered on their faces. This place is undoubtedly depressing, and just like Steven says with every time they visit this place, it only seems to get creepier each time. They step off the warp pad, deciding to sit for small rest, hands still locked together. 

“Urgh...is it me, or is warping suddenly exhausting?” Amethyst fusses, sprawling out. Pearl decides to lie down next to her in silent concurrence. 

“It has to be because of the contamination in our physical forms.” She sighs, rubbing her gem with fatigue. It has stopped raining, at least. Amethyst stretches and yawns with great exaggeration. 

“Whatever man, I just wanna go back home. I miss my room.” Complains the purple gem. 

“Garnet should be here...soon.” She says hopefully. “She should have some idea of where to find one of those lakes.” 

“Can this radiation junk really be fixed with splashing around in some dumb puddle?” She questions rigidly, rolling her eyes.

“We have to trust that Garnet knows what she's doing.” Pearl says simply. “I have to admit, it will be nice to bathe, at least.”

“Haha...skinny dipping. Sounds wild. Sign me up.” Amethyst snickers, rolling onto her side to look to the other gem. Pearl makes a flustered murmur. 

Just then, the warp pad lights up again.

“Damn, that was fast.” Amethyst remarks, propping herself up into a sitting position. Garnet appears as the light dissipates. Pearl rubs her eyes, finding the light to be particularly blinding this time. 

They both look up to the tallest gem in greeting. 

“Sup, G?” The stubby gem salutes with a lazy wave.

Garnet looks between them before taking a seat on the edge of the warp pad. “Where did you two go?”

Pearl inhales sharply, knowing that it wouldn't be any good to lie. “We went to the ruins of Pompeii, near Naples. Just for a short...look around.”

“Mm. Did you run into anyone?” Garnet asks cooly.

Amethyst and Pearl exchange glances, remembering the birds that died from exposure. 

“Nope.” Amethyst chimes, rubbing one of her eyes.

“Did you find a lake?” Pearl urges, trying to steer the conversation in a more productive direction. She shutters to think of the poor animals she unknowingly murdered.

“Yes.” She says simply, adjusting her shades. Pearl and Amethyst brighten at the answer.

“Where at, yo?” Asks the purple gem.

“Lying on the border of Palestine and Israel. We should head there now.” Garnet supplies in her usual straight-forwardness. 

“Can we like...nap for a few hours, first? I'm wrecked.” Amethyst grouses. 

Pearl frowns. “You can't be serious, Amethyst. Of course we're going, now. The sooner we end this horrible mess, the better.” 

“Mmm, I wouldn't call it entirely 'horrible'.” Decides the purple gem, grinning promiscuously to Pearl. “I'd say it's been pretty fun.”

Garnet cracks a grin, looking to the hands that still hold onto each other. 

Pearl's face flares with a darker blush. “A-anyways...is there a warp pad close to this..lake?”

“Sort of. The lake you're going to is mostly surrounded by steep mountains and thick forests. The warp pad lies just outside of a small town called Horonaim.”

“Whore-name?” Amethyst echoes with her own vulgar inflection. 

“HORO-NAIM.” Pearl repeats correctively. 

“Whore.” Amethyst says flatly with a teasing smile.

“Hor-o-nnnn...nevermind. Please continue, Garnet.” The taller gem concedes with an eye roll, squeezing Amethyst's hand in silent reprimand. The grin doesn't fade.

“It should take you approximately an hour to get there.” Garnet explains. 

“Wait, but if you've been around us, how come you don't have to go to the lake, too? Aren't you the slightest bit contaminated?” Pearl asks.

“I've concluded that the radiation affects certain gems more than others. I do not need treatment, as I haven't spent a long time exposed to either of you. I'm fine. But I do need to find out what to do about the Beach House before Steven gets back...” She explains pensively. “Besides, you two should do just fine on your own.” Garnet adds with a goaded nod. 

“Oh yes we will.” Amethyst agrees, giving Pearl yet another suggestive glance.

Pearl drags her hand down her face; despite Garnet having an inkling of what's going on between them, she still doesn't appreciate risque innuendos.

“Anyways....” Pearl begins. “Perhaps if Amethyst and I can decontaminate quickly, we can help you with the Beach House.” She suggests candidly. “He'll be back in two days, correct? That should be plenty of time.”

“It will take more than just a dip.” Garnet replies honestly. “You may need to collectively be submerged for several hours. I will come check on you tomorrow.” 

“I see...” Pearl murmurs, disheartened. “What direction from the warp pad is the lake?”

“Northwest.”

“Do ya got a compass in that purdy 'ol gem of yours, P?” Asks the purple gem.

Pearl simply scoffs with an arrogant smile. “We won't need one, I have an incredible sense of direction.”

Amethyst rolls her eyes.

“Then it's settled. You two can head there now, and I'll check on you tomorrow.” Garnet finalizes, standing up to make a prompt exit. "Have fun." She smiles, disappearing in a flash.

* * *

“Whatever gave her...the idea...that we could climb...this whole dAMN MOUNTAIN....” Amethyst yells breathlessly, propping herself against a tree. Were this like any other mission, exhaustion wouldn't even be a concept, but as it stands, they are just as weak, if not weaker than the average human. Pearl is having an even rougher time, needing to stop much more often and occasionally stumbling over herself.

“This...isn't exactly what I'd call a mountain, it's...more like a...” She breathes heavily, “a bluff...”

“This is a fucking mountain, P, not a lie. That doesn't even make any sense.” Amethyst groans, peeling her bangs from her sweaty face. 

Pearl relents a small wheeze. “No...a bluff is also a type of...land formation. Smaller than a mountain...”

“Don't you ever get bored of proving yourself...right.” She huffs, coughing a few times.

Pearl doesn't bother with a response, taking a seat on a large rocky outcrop. They sit together in the late-day sun, enjoying the shade from large willow trees, with nothing but the sounds of erratic breathing filling the space between them.

“Why did you bring your backpack? It's probably making it much more difficult for you.” The taller gem notices, idly swatting at a bug that flew too close.

“Uhhh, because when the sun goes down you might get cold. I only brought the blanket.” She replies coolly, despite being wearied.

“Oh...” 

Pearl, uncomfortable in her own coating of sweat, takes time to observe Amethyst. She looks spent, to say the least. But despite her rough exterior, Pearl admires her even more. There's something sexy about seeing the purple gem so worn out and clammy. Pearl wonders if she herself looks as attractive when messy. Probably not.

“You lookin for a fight?” Amethyst says suddenly, yanking Pearl away from her observations.

“...Excuse me?”

“You're starin' at me, what do ya want?” She jokes, half-grinning.

“No...I just...you look beautiful, Amethyst.” Pearl admits without thinking. The shorter one blushes considerably, unused to receiving such compliments.

…

Finally, at the base of the mountain-- or bluff, as Pearl identified, the shore to the great lake is visible. Amethyst exhales with desperate relief. The sun is setting, and the lake itself has a certain sense of isolation; forests on one side, the bluffs on the other. The enclosure, with its grand landscape, feels almost like they're on another planet. The ground seems so dry and brittle; the lake, dark and serene. 

The air is thick with the scent of salt; more so than that of the ocean shores of Beach City. They can almost taste the salt in the air aside from the metallic sensation already present.

“Soooo...” Amethyst drawls, working up to the shore with Pearl following. “Do we just....splash around in here until we feel better?”

“I'm sure it doesn't work that way...we probably need to have gradual, methodical submersion.” She explains, stopping at the shoreline and looking out into the dark expanse. “If only we had some sort of device to measure radiation. Then we could just calculate how long we need to be in the wa—AH! Amethyst! What are you doing?!” Pearl yells, interrupted when the shorter gem slaps her hard on the ass. The lithe gem startles forward to avoid another assault. Now ankle deep in the water, she turns to face Amethyst, who wears that signature teasing grin. 

“I dunno', I just wanted to.” She shrugs. 

“Hrrrmm...” Pearl sulks. “Right...well, I suppose we should get right to it, then.” She decides, looking to Amethyst expectantly. The purple gem begins undressing, seemingly without issue. Pearl stands awkwardly, rubbing her forearm.

“Wassup, P?” Amethyst notices, stopping when she's down to her pants and bra. 

“I'm just uh...a bit nervous, I suppose?”

“Aww c'mon. I've seen your stuff before.” She says playfully. 

Pearl hardens a little, but eventually complies with undressing. 

Amethyst, pleased with the sight of a very exposed Pearl, takes the initiative. “Okay, lets do it.” 

The taller gem purses her lips, looking to Amethyst still half-clothed body. “Aren't you going to... take those off?” She asks, flummoxed by the fact that she's the only one naked.

“Uhhh...” Amethyst drawls, kicking a few pebbles. “Do I gotta?” She asks tacitly.

“Well...assuming the radiation inhibits your ability to dispel moisture or phase out of clothing in general, it'd probably be for the best. You don't want to sit in cold wet clothes, do you?”

“Maybe I do.”

The alabaster gem raises her brows, finding the timid behavior to be...odd. The purple gem always seems so confident and self-assured at any other time, why would she be embarrassed about being in the nude now? Pearl, knowing that Amethyst hates personal questions, decides to try a safer approach. Careful reassurance.

“There's no one around. It's fine.” She tries, reaching for Amethyst's bra. Her hands are quickly pushed back by the reluctant gem. 

“You are.” Amethyst says simply, holding Pearl by the wrists.

“I...but..?” She stammers. “But I've...seen you before. What makes this any different?” She asks, blushing at the dim memories of their passionate spree.

“No, you didn’t.” She argues feebly. “It was like, really dark and cramped...”

“So?”

There is a pause. The shorter gem refuses to make eye contact, keeping her eyes locked onto the sand beneath her.

After a short moment of tense silence, Pearl decides to take a more direct approach. “Amethyst, look at me.“ She beckons softly.

The purple gem complies, met with a soft gaze. “You're wonderful.” Pearl whispers, her expression melting into a warm smile. She leans forward, capturing the other gem's lips in a delicate kiss that manages to calm her significantly; like soothing a cornered beast.

When they part, Amethyst rolls her shoulders awkwardly, flustered at the tenderness. “Rrrrgghh...okay, okay..” She yields, turning away from the pale gem and quickly pulling off the rest of her clothes. Pearl is admittedly pleased. It’s the first time she’s really able to take in the sight of Amethyst in all her resplendence.

It doesn’t escape Pearls attention, however, that Amethyst holds up a hand over her chest, covering her gem.

Still persistent to make Amethyst comfortable, she leans in, proceeding to pepper her team mate's newly exposed skin with fleeting kisses, especially around the gem. Amethyst's face nearly explodes with utter discomposure under the weight of the sudden intimate affection she’s given; a deepened blush, wide-eyed stare. Eventually, warmed up by Pearl's heedless affection, Amethyst relents her cover, exposing her prize, to which Pearl runs her fingers over tactfully.

Finally, when they are both feeling assured enough, Pearl takes the lead, claiming Amethyst's hands and walking backwards, guiding her slowly into the shallow waters. It's surprisingly warm, which scientifically Pearl pins down to the arid, hot temperatures the land is exposed to, being so close to the equator; that and salt is heat conducive-- which there's a high concentration of.

There's a delicious feeling of freedom, being bare, out in the open; exposed to nature utterly and entirely. Pearl can't help but adopt a ridiculous smile at the idea. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought of indulging in 'skinny dipping'. She hums a small giggle once she's waist deep, which only becomes contagious; as Amethyst joins in the laughter.

The rich glow from the setting sun reflecting off of the water's surface creates a sense of indescribable enchantment. Because of their height difference, Pearl commissions herself to holding Amethyst closer, in a sense carrying her weightlessly into the deeper waters. 

A startled gasp escapes Amethyst, wrapping her legs around the taller one's waist and grasping at her shoulders. Pearl smiles airily, reassuring the other that she won't let go. They can both swim, but she prefers to keep Amethyst close. Her pale hands work beneath a pair of supple thighs, supporting the shorter gem.

Now shoulder deep, Pearl comes to a stop, taking time to admire Amethyst fully, scattering gentle kisses over her face; eventually reacquainting their lips in a quiet persistence, innocently nibbling on the kindergarten gem's lower lip. 

It is as if kissing each time was an all new experience, exploring and mapping the other's mouth with quelled excitement. The excitement spreads as Pearl targets Amethyst's neck with the same treatment, stealing away bits of her skin between her teeth in playful biting. Amethyst purrs, enjoying the attention. 

The mixture of sunset, warm water, and the boundless desire between their skin is simply delectable; romantic, even. When Pearl ceases her senseless grazing on the other's skin, she pulls away giving a final kiss to Amethyst's forehead. 

“How long do we gotta stay in here?” Amethyst challenges, smiling with something Pearl recognizes as a quiet impatience. 

“Hmm..” She responds pensively, brushing her thumbs against the thighs that occupy her hands. The eye contact between them implies something of a lusting nature. “We just got in, what are you so impatient for?”

Amethyst grins wickedly, pressing her fingertips into the taller gem's back for emphasis. “I've got important business to take care of.”

“Oh?” Pearl responds playfully. “Important business? Such as?”

“You.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit that this chapter was a bit uneventful in terms of plot progression-- and that the so called 'cure' to their radiation may seem anti-climactic. But I wanted it to be this way. I didn't want there to be a magic 'instant cure' to this. The radiation is supposed to mimic that of human illness-- where they need to be taken care of and to be cautious. You can't just magically get better from the flu. Healing takes time and healing takes patience. 
> 
> And the fic is not going to end after the radiation business is over. The radiation is just an arc. I plan to have three arcs total. But who knows what will happen/if I lose interest. We'll have to see.


	12. Arc I - Louder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 80% sex tbh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

6

The tension is palpable. They remained submerged in the hyper-saline water for as long as they could bare-- that being when Pearl said they could, because if it were left to Amethyst to decide they would hardly have stayed in for more than a few seconds. The sun has disappeared, and taking its place, the moon and a brilliant display of the heavens. 

When they've come ashore, Amethyst is quick to rummage her backpack for the blanket; not because it's cold, but because she knows that Pearl isn't going to be receptive to any kind of pleasure if she's lying bare back in the jagged sand.

Pearl watches with a quiet nervousness, holding herself shakily. How can she be so worked up over this? She had no problem giving pleasure to Amethyst... But something about receiving the same treatment is somehow...frightening? Intimidating? 

Their surroundings are quiet, save for the sounds of rustling leaves in a light breeze. Not even the bugs are chattering.

Amethyst sits herself down when the blanket is tactfully spread out, patting to the spot in front of her in a beckoning fashion. Pearl can feel a tightening in her stomach at being summoned, and at first doesn't move from her spot.

A silent discernment reaches Amethyst that the taller gem is nervous, and she attempts to assure the other with an innocent smile. Pearl sighs, cautiously approaching the spot reserved for her. When she sits down, her body only seems to harden with anxiety. The kindergarten gem is mindful of this, simply placing a hand over Pearl's, holding it tenderly. 

The taller gem relaxes marginally, slackening her shoulders. Amethyst finds the nerve to lean in cautiously, granting Pearl a few soft kisses along her jaw. 

Alabaster fingers tighten their grip on violet, anticipating what will come next. Another hand reaches forward, coming to rest on Pearl's waist, while finally, Amethyst's lips seek to claim the other's with a surprisingly predatory kiss. The dancer is receptive, tilting her head to give them a better angle. 

Their kiss is slow, exploratory, and passionate. Pearl deciding to be submissive, granting Amethyst the freedom to do as she pleases. Being taken care of this way is possibly the most intimate interaction she has ever participated in. 

The hand at her waist is well-behaved, only moving slightly in elliptical motions for a calming stimulation. Her skin prickles with a certain enticement. Freeing her hand from Amethyst's, she works her fingertips against the back of the other's neck, silently urging for more. This is, after all, an activity with an end goal.

The violet gem acquiesces, both of her hands now claiming ownership of Pearl's delicate waist, working down to and massaging her waist. The gesture finally provokes Pearl into a carnal mindset, spreading her legs in invitation. 

The shorter gem accepts this, gently pushing Pearl to lie down and climbing on top. Her hand mindlessly scales down the length of Pearl's thighs, making the tall gem's skin prickle with quiet excitement. 

“Are you okay?” Amethyst asks faintly, pulling away and looking down to a clearly distressed teammate.

Silence. Pearl simply nods.

“Am I going too fast?” She follows up, genuine concern on her face.

“No, I'm alright.” The taller one affirms, smiling airily. 

Plush lips return, encouraging Pearl to open her mouth, to which she eagerly complies. Their tongues are quick to come together in sultry reunion, lathing over each other feverishly. The kiss is delectable, sparking in Pearl a need for more, diminishing her nervousness almost instantly. Something between her hips flickers. A small passion that will only continue to grow.

Amethyst's hands glide upward, stopping just beneath each of Pearl's breasts. Their lips part, and the kindergarten gem is met with a pair of lidded cerulean eyes that convey her consent. To Amethyst, this is a learning opportunity; she wants to see how Pearl reacts to everything, she wants to know what will feel good and what will get her excited. Small hands graze over Pearl's chest, kneading and pressing against the small flesh. It's the quieted gasp that gives Amethyst an indication of excitement. 

Her thumbs brush over Pearl's nipples, promoting her to shiver. Amethyst smiles, fevered to explore the alabaster gem with abandon. With another short kiss, she reduces herself, arresting Pearl's breasts with a stiff grip, making the gem beneath her emit a soft whimper. With inexperienced movements, Amethyst flicks harshly at the exposed nipples, forcing them to become erect. 

Pearl muffles a groan, finding it painful, yet somehow pleasing. A small cackle vibrates in Amethyst's throat, lowering her head to just barely graze her tongue over one of them. The taller gem writhes beneath her, arching her spine and giving Amethyst the benefit of hearing a small yelp.

Encouraged to do more, she takes a nipple into her mouth, pressing the flat of her tongue against sensitive flesh.

“Mmmhhh...” Pearl moans. Amethyst's lips curve, pleased at the sound, and she elects to bite down softly, increasing the volume of the other gem's vocalizations. She tugs gently, letting go for a moment before returning and nursing the the nipple between her lips, sucking and biting sparingly. The same treatment is given to the other breast, albeit more rough and demanding. Pearl's face is completely engulfed in a blue tinge, overrun by the new sensations.

When Amethyst pulls away, there's no hiding the disappointment bubbling in Pearl's throat, but the disappointment doesn't last for long. Soft lips are pressed to Pearl's gem, causing her to go stiff. The act itself is soft, and intimate, and Pearl can feel herself melting at the affection. 

A trail of kisses is mapped along her face, and dreadfully down the ticklish skin of her neck. She playfully bites at Pearl's well-defined collar bones, sighing hotly against them. 

Dull fingernails are scraped downward, from Pearl's breasts, to over her ribs, stomach and hips down to her thighs, leaving light blue etchings in its path. 

She pulls away, looking down at the frazzled gem lying on her back, completely indisposed and helplessly turned on.

Amethyst, despite having done this before, is still a novice. She feels...lacking, to a degree. There's no fluid movement to her gestures-- she's haphazardly teasing and testing Pearl. It's like trying to learn how to read. 

The alabaster gem becomes confused, looking up at Amethyst, who seems to have lost her train of thought. She reaches forward, holding Amethyst's face softly.

“Is..something wrong?” She asks nervously, slightly disappointed at the pause in action.

“Uh...no, I just...let me know if I'm doing anything wrong, 'kay?” She explains, wishing she could be more confident. 

Pearl, conveys agreement to the request; finding the innocence in her voice to be absolutely adorable.

The flustered look on Pearl's face is enough to bring Amethyst back from her moment of hesitation. 

Moving closer to bridge the gap, their bodies make full contact, skin against skin in a delectable unity. She covetously reclaims Pearl's mouth, kissing her, hard. Pearl's hips roll against her teammate's, her willowy fingers dig into the flesh of Amethyst's back, grasping for some semblance of stability. Their hips begin rocking in contrast to one another, becoming engaged in erotic tempo. 

With each ministration against her, Pearl's demeanor becomes less and less composed. Sweat accumulates over her alabaster skin, clinging to her form and working as a scandalous lubricant between their bodies. 

The sounds Amethyst makes with each motion, that depraved and determined grunting mixed with heavy breathing sends Pearl into the peak of ecstasy. For an instant, she considers how wonderful the view is from on her back; above her, the gem she is so enticed by, working against her like a boundless heathen, and the crystal clear view of millions of stars, unobstructed by the common light pollution. She finds it hard to keep up; her breathing becoming ragged and disparate. 

Dull fingernails dig deeper into the dominant gem's back, breaking skin. Amethyst lets out a pleasured growl, her hips jolting harder against Pearl's in a twisted thrill. Pearl becomes desperate, craning her hips upward to gain better friction, but never quite satisfied-- she'll need so much more, and Amethyst can practically feel the desperate energy pulsating from her teammate. This makes her more conscious...aware that Pearl's orgasm depends solely on when Amethyst decides to give it. 

Such power is simply delectable. 

Amethyst is diligent, taking time to patch Pearl's neck and shoulders with vibrant bruises and hickeys while they continue their perverse rocking. She anticipates the moment when Garnet or anyone for that matter witnesses these blatant marks of intimacy. Her stolid teeth ravaging the pale skin with a sense of pride.

“P..please.” The lithe gem chokes, signaling Amethyst to cease her rigorous foreplay; and indicating just how futile and aroused Pearl is. Amethyst remarks at how polite Pearl can be, even in such shameless situations as this. 

She smirks, stealing another kiss and making one last push with her hips, savoring the sight of a very fomented Pearl.

Her paws slither beneath Pearl's thighs, massaging and rolling her thumbs against such delicate flesh. Pearl, caught between lust and anxiousness, bites into her own index finger, watching the purple gem in clear anticipation. 

“Please what?” Amethyst baits, grinning precociously. 

The idea of having to vocally request what is obviously so desperately wanted is infuriating to the taller gem. She swallows, several times, and Amethyst notices each of them; watching Pearl's neck bobble as she struggles with speech. 

“Touch me.” She says finally, adding another small 'please' at the end. 

“Oh, you mean like this?” Teases the shorter gem, brushing her middle finger over Pearl's clit.

A desperate plea vibrates in Pearl's throat, blended with a clear disdain for being tormented this way. She looks to Amethyst, slight frustration painting her face. The violet gem cackles, leaning forward so that her mouth lingers near Pearl's neck, making sure to continue the torture by sighing against her skin. 

The taller gem trembles, waiting for something, anything.

“You gotta' let me use my mouth.” She whispers hazily. Pearl's face becomes inflamed at the request, invaded by a disgusting curiosity in wondering how her tongue would feel down there. 

“A..Ameth...no. That's...that's disgusting.” She lies, failing to mask her excitement. 

Amethyst groans, placing a few kisses along Pearl's shoulder in gentle persuasion. “Please?”

Manners have never been at the top of Amethyst's social habits; so when she says 'please', Pearl is admittedly surprised. 

“I...I don't know...wh...” her response is tangled; mind going thousands of miles a second. Her desire for pleasure is strong, but so are her penchants for maintaining some form of decency. “Why?” She finally manages, feeling the heat between them remain at a standstill, forming quiet anticipation.

Another kiss tickles her neck, and there's a pause. 

“I wanna' taste you.” She breathes, squeezing Pearl's thighs for emphasis. Any semblance Pearl had left was suddenly gone, and her ability to speak beyond that of a whimper disappears with it.

“Nnnhh...” 

Thumbs press into her pointed hips, tracing their curves in firm beckon. “Let me take care of you, P.” 

“I...wh..what if I don't like--”

“Then I'd stop. Duh.” She says plainly. “But I'm like 110% sure you'll love it.”

Pearl swallows dryly, feeling herself become dizzy at the prospect. “Mmm...o-okay. Fine.” She resigns, loosening her grip on Amethyst's back and committing them to grasp the blanket beneath her. 

“Good girl.” The kindergarten gem reels, nipping at her shoulder. 

Amethyst treks down the length of Pearl's body at an amateur pace; quick in some spots, but slow in others. Eager to pierce the skin around her small breasts, the thin gem hushes a squeal.

Pulling away, Amethyst looks up to the other with one eye, smirking unbearably. “C'mon, P... no one will hear you...”

Pearl's eyes meet with indigo, and for a moment she's confused. “Wh? Excuse me?”

Amethyst scoffs, grinning promiscuously. “You don't have to be quiet.” 

“I...”

“Let loose.” Amethyst urges. “I want you to be loud.”

She nods softly, if not to satiate Amethyst, but to get her to continue. 

Small kisses placed carefully over Pearl's stomach earn playful laughter at first, but it dissipates as Amethyst's mouth stops just above her chastity. 

Another pause, Pearl clamps her eyes shut, tightening her grip on the fabric beneath her in preparation. 

Seconds feel like hours, waiting for contact, waiting for gratification. Holding her breath. Body taut with anticipation. For a moment, the thought of Rose intrudes her mind. How would Rose feel if she knew..? If she knew that her Pearl is moving on. If she knew that her Pearl was being intimate with the very gem she'd used to argue with constantly. If she knew that her Pearl was now someone else's...

“Relax.” The shorter gem whispers, mouth lingering over her. The command rips her train of thought to shreds, only exciting Pearl further. 

She can't possibly relax not when she's so close to receiving...oral.

“Ah!” Her breath hitches. Full lips press against Pearl's cunt, just for a second, and are reapplied in a firm kiss, slipping over her clit with dedication. She sucks gently; careful not to try anything too exciting. The sensation, to Pearl, is admittedly...wonderful. Her hips roll slightly, making Amethyst grin with delight. Between her legs, she can feel pulsing; slow and insistent. 

Hands are placed over Pearl's knees, pulling them apart further until she's splayed to her limit. Completely exposed, Amethyst's lips pull away, and she is pleased to take in the sights, staring down at her naked sex.

“Damn, P...” She regards with marked satisfaction. “You're...fuckin' hot.”

Wide-eyed, Pearl stiffens, unable to accept the admiration; further made uncomfortable at the visual appraisal.

Their eyes meet, and for a second, she swears she can feel her heart in her throat.

“I'm gonna' fuck you good.” Amethyst growls, plunging her middle finger inside Pearl, hard. 

Again, Pearl muffles a whimper, holding still. The sensation is...slippery, and tight. Just as fast, Amethyst pulls out, much to Pearl's dismay. The alabaster gem watches with heated intensity as her teammate makes a point to lick the residue from her fingertips, moaning in approval at the taste. 

The tall gem bites her lip, hopelessly revolted-- yet equally aroused at the sight. 

Amethyst returns, lowering her head and pressing thick lips to her clit again, sucking and biting aggressively. The continuity and lucidness of her movements are...poor, to say the least, but she's not concerned with this-- it's a new experience, and she hardly expects Amethyst to get the hang of things on her first time giving Pearl...intercourse.

Her tongue invites itself against Pearl's exposure, swirling and pushing against sensitive nerves, awakening Pearl to a whole new height of pleasure. She gasps, clawing at the blanket but finding no security in this grip. Her hands quickly relocate to Amethyst's mane, tangling in her hair for support. 

Moaning boils in her throat, a moan she refuses to let out.

Saliva meshes with Pearl's nectar, creating a mess that starts to drip and smear over her thighs as well as around Amethyst's mouth. This might be the only mess that Pearl approves of. Her hips start working, slowly, up and down against warm tongue. With each plunge, she can feel her desires building. Lips pressing and sliding over her sex gradually, working into her wildly. Her grip over Amethyst's head tightens, pushing her down for more while she continues to cycle her hips.

She notices Amethyst's breathing becoming uneven, coming up less and less for air and staying focused on giving Pearl pleasure. She'd say something to give the other a break, but becomes selfish with her own hunger, throwing her head back and focusing on the heaven between her thighs. Amethyst's tongue is simply delicious; erratic and vigorous. Working between her folds with absolute greed. Her teeth bare against Pearl's clit occasionally, making the lithe gem whine softly, still refusing to be vocal. 

Lips pull away for a moment. “Say my name.” She orders, not unlike the time Pearl commanded the same thing. She sighs desperately, finding it difficult to honor the command. 

As the pause lingers, Amethyst grips Pearl's legs, forcing them upward and contorting the dancer into an even more exposed position, knees pushed down onto the blanket to either side of her head. She complains, finding the sudden position to be awkward and distressing.

The tongue returns between her legs, only this time curling and pressing against her opening. Pearl is shocked, stammering on Amethyst's name. Shameless, sloppy kisses work against her, sending waves of pleasure through her body. 

“Aaahh...p..please..” She begs, hoping Amethyst would understand what she wants.

“Not until you say it.” She breathes, biting Pearl's inner thigh in reprimand.

“Hhh...Ame..thyst.” She groans, arching her back and fighting weakly against the shorter gem's grip on her thighs. She can't recall ever being put in this position...ever. However, being as flexible as she is proves to be...beneficial, to say the least.

Her name being the magic word, Amethyst's tongue plunges into her, thick and wet. She whimpers, biting her lip harder to resist anything louder escaping.

As if fueled by her wanting to make Pearl scream, she quickens her motions, pushing her tongue in harder, pulling out and flicking it against her sensitive nub, working through slick folds haphazardly. Whether Amethyst is aware of it or not, her nails are digging into Pearl's thighs, splitting skin; the pain excites the alabaster gem.

“Amethyst..” She moans eagerly, writhing in mindless ecstasy. “Mmmhh...Am..eth..” Pearl chokes, becoming disconnected from her surroundings, engulfed by her need to come.

Letting go of one of Pearl's legs, she swiftly thrusts her finger into her cunt, making the lithe gem become unraveled, spilling out an intense howl. Added to that, Amethyst's tongue swirls and caresses her clit, depraved and greedy. 

Pumping in and out, Pearl's cunt begins contracting, craving more, and Amethyst delivers. Another finger is added, at first, making the tall gem groan, finding it to be tight and painful. She whimpers, gripping weakly at Amethyst's wrist to get her to pull out. The gesture goes unnoticed in the midst of her sexual stupor, and Amethyst only pushes harder, jarring her hand faster.

Unable to keep quiet, Pearl yells, loud, only exciting Amethyst to work ruthlessly. Exerting her tongue against the other, unrestrained and furious. Pearl cries out, escalating into her climax.

“Ahhh..ah..” Her body agonizes, twisting under the rampant pleasure between her legs. She fathers the audacity to open her eyes, looking down to see the action. The sight of her team mate, being orally fixated on her sex intensifies her pleasure somehow, and suddenly when Amethyst's hand hits her just right, she is overtaken by a powerful orgasm, causing her moans to elevate into out-right screams; her eyes clamp back shut, and her head is forced backward in the moment of culmination. 

Amethyst pulls her mouth away, wanting to take in the sight of Pearl mid-frenzy. Her hand labors steadily, pulsing in and out with devotion until Pearl finishes riding out her peak of pleasure. 

6

The short gem is undoubtedly amused; watching Pearl as she comes down from her sexual power-trip, breathing uneven, face colored a deep cerulean. Her legs weaken, sluggishly clamping together as the aftermath of her orgasm recedes. She's gorgeous, and Amethyst wishes they could do it again, if just to hear Pearl scream some more.

Out of breath and drained of energy, Pearl is disabled, falling limp against the blanket and struggling to catch up. Her head is spinning, and she clamps her eyes shut, feeling a sense of thrill course through her. Head swimming, she's almost unaware of when Amethyst climbs up next to her, pecking a warm kiss to her gem. Her eyes flutter open, looking to her team mate with spent appreciation, smiling weakly. 

“Mmmh..” Is all she offers to Amethyst, who mimics the sound with tender inflection. 

A hand caresses Pearl's face gently, she murmurs, closing her eyes again. Involuntarily, hot tears begin forming in her eyes, earning a look of confused concern from the violet gem. 

"...P?" Amethyst asks, gently wiping the tears away with her thumb.

Sniffling, Pearl is quick to collect herself. It must be the emotional peak she's experiencing, being so close to someone... being made love to and being cared for... She smiles weakly, shaking her head. "Sorry...I'm fine." She explains, voice hoarse. "I'm just...happy."

Amethyst mirrors her smile, kneeling down and kissing the lithe gem on the cheek. "If you say so."

There's no turning back now; Pearl knows this. Sure, sex is just sex, but Pearl opened herself up to something she never thought she'd indulge in...let alone experience with Amethyst, of all gems. Sex is just a human custom that gems picked up on because it was a 'new' and 'exciting' thing to try. Shape-shifting sexual organs is just a commodity...but she can't deny that it's an intense and marvelous experience. Being on earth for so long, you start to unlearn the customs of where you were from and begin to acclimate to new ones. However, physical intimacy, as described by 'educated' human psychologists, is only a fraction of what makes up a good...relationship. Communication and connection is important, as well-- and Pearl knows for certain that they have a lot of catching up to do in those departments...

But one thing is for certain, Pearl enjoys oral sex, despite her apprehensions. Amethyst's tongue feels like...heaven, to put it simply.

“Whatcha' thinkin about?” Drawls the shorter gem, tracing idle patterns over Pearl's chest. She looks to Amethyst, pulling away from her inner monologues. 

Now would probably be the best time for...conversation. Communication. Conveying her concerns. 

“What happens after...this?” Pearl asks, voice timid.

Taken back by the question, Amethyst thinks for a moment, deciding to answer the question with a question. “What do you mean?”

She hums for a moment, struggling to form coherent words. “As in...are we..? Are we going to be...something?”

“Something?” Amethyst echoes, smiling. “You mean...like a couple?”

“...Yes.” 

“Oh uh...” Amethyst looks away, a small blush creeping to her cheeks. “Do you...want to?” Her brow creases, finding the subject to be too raw for her comfort.

“I don't think I would have...engaged you in this way...were I not at least interested..in the prospect.” She phrases carefully, starting to fidget with her fingers, and her legs glue themselves together in subconscious discomfort. “And uhm... I just want things to be...crystal clear, before we go home.”

Amethyst fails to come up with any sort of response, sitting up to stare out at the lake. Pearl watches, wondering if she said something wrong. 

“Amethyst?” She tries softly, struggling for a moment to sit up with her. She brings her knees up to her chest, feeling cold now that she's not in the heat of intercourse. 

“I've had feelings for you for a long time, P. It's just like...really hard to think about any of this being real...y'know? Like I've always just accepted that you would only love her/en>.” She explains in reference to their lost leader. “I'm just...urgh...whats the word...surprised, I guess.”

“What makes it a surprise?” Pearl asks, looking down at her knees.

Amethyst scoffs sarcastically, amused at the question. “Really, P?! You're honestly that clueless?!”

Pearl leans away, caught off-guard by the sudden raise in voice. 

“You were like...always trying to find ways to argue with me and correct me and let me know what whatever I was doing-- I was doing it wrong. So excuse me if I'm freakin' surprised that you suddenly wanna fuck me!”

“Language...” Pearl mumbles as if disregarding the explanation.

“Example number one.” The shorter one responds, glowering at the lake.

Pearl blushes, embarrassed. “Please, don't be so angry...I...its not like I actively pursue the instrument of criticizing you, it just...happens. And this is NOT just about...being physically intimate with you...I- I...I feel things for you, too.”

With a calm exhale, Amethyst collects herself, trying not to resort to another moody outburst as she usually does. “Well...maybe you can...lighten up on the nagging, since you wanna' make this happen.”

“But do you want it to happen...?”

“Uh, duh! Of course I do...it's just like...I just want to make sure you're not just...doing this because you're bored or lonely. I don't want to be the next Rose...” She states awkwardly, knowing that any subject involving Rose Quartz is risky. 

“Wh...how do you mean?” Pearl questions, feeling a pang in her chest at the implication.

“Urgh...do we gotta' talk about this..?”

“...I suppose not...but I'd rather discuss it now while we have the privacy.”

The kindergarten gem sighs, regretting saying anything. This night could have been just a romantic, endless mantra of taking turns fucking each other's brains out but now it's going to be a saga of explanations and...painfully honest conversation. “Geez, Pearl can't you just let me eat you out again? That's way more fun.”

Blushing harder, Pearl grunts a little. “Amethyst...” She coaches.

Another sigh. “I mean like...the way you practically worshiped Rose-- it was super weird and uncomfortable to watch...and I don't want you to cling to me just because you're lonely and have nothing better to do...and no one else to love.”

Pearl frowns, saddened at how she'd been perceived by her teammate. But she understands how Amethyst would feel this way, especially with how...devoted Pearl was to Rose. It certainly draws Pearl's attention to the concept-- questioning herself if she may be 'clinging' to Amethyst for the affection rather than out of a desire to be genuinely close to her. For a while, they remain quiet, mulling over their heavy thoughts.

She has to question herself... she has to wonder what she loves about Amethyst. What she finds so enticing. Amethyst is...blunt, stubborn, harsh, spontaneous, irrational, powerful, tender, playful, caring, exciting...magnificent. She could go on...but all these things just seem...lacking, in summing up the kindergarten gem entirely. Words can't possibly assemble themselves in any which way to perfectly describe the experience that is Amethyst. She simply...is. And Pearl loves it.

In this respect...Pearl is lead to question what it is that Amethyst sees in her. Comparing herself to the wild spirit that is Amethyst is...somewhat depressing, to say the least. And so it is with this reverence that she decides to pursue her own questions.

“What is it that you...I mean..that is...why do you--? Why do you like...me?” She falters, clicking her jaw several times in unrest. 

“HAHA!” She cackles, face palming. “I know, right?! You're like...the Queen of Boringville! I don't even know why, P. I just... whenever you're around me I get all messed up and when I hear your voice its confusing and...distracting. I can't think straight when you look at me most times.” She huffs, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. 

“But I mean...uh...I think you're...awesome...and it's also pretty cool how you're always trying so hard to learn and stay on top of everything, I guess..” Her voice tapers off; embarrassed that she's admitting any of this. “You're super smart, and uh, perfect...it pisses me off sometimes when I notice how much time I spend just thinking about you.”

Flustered, Pearl looks away further down the shoreline, reaching up to cover the blush overtaking her face. She is far from perfect, and she'd argue this fact were she not so tired. It wasn't exactly the clear answer she'd wanted, yet it somehow satiated her curiosity. It'll have to do; at least for now, anyways.

“Do I really need a reason to like you?” She asks finally turning back to look at her with quiet intensity. Pearl falls over herself trying to adjust to the serious side of her usually playful teammate.

“No..I...I just...mmmh.” Pearl frowns, mentally lacking from spending so much energy trying to keep herself together during sex. 

The short gem snickers, lying back down on her side and quickly wrapping Pearl in a warm hug. “You make a lot of weird faces, P.”

The lithe gem grumbles, lightly bumping foreheads with the other. “I sincerely hope that's a good thing...”

“Hell yeah.” She laughs. “It's funny. I like it.”

“I'm glad you're amused.” She smiles, curling her body closer. 

“Hmm...” Amethyst trills thoughtfully. “Maybe that's why I do a lot of stupid shit. Because it makes your face do funny things.” She explains, prodding Pearl in the face with her finger. “I especially like the face you made when you came.” 

Pearl's shoulders jerk, caught off by the lewd observation. She hates to think of what awful faces she made during her orgasm... she whimpers, burying her face into Amethyst's chest.

“Aww, don't be so shy, P. You look hot when you're moaning my name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it weren't for amaet helping me with this chapter, it would have honestly been like...so horrible lmao. So don't 4get to thank them.


	13. Arc I - Etherea Borealis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a double edged whip. physical torture unfolding on one end, mental torment gripping the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amaet is the co-author; they assist me by proof-reading, performing quality checks and offering interesting ideas/perspectives.

“I'm. SO. BORED!” Drones the violet gem, floating on her back through the water. It's mid-noon, the day after their night of passion. The sun is scorching hot, and there's not a cloud in the sky that would give promise of shade. It's easily well over 100 degrees, and Amethyst's continued whining is making the heat somehow even less bearable. How can she go from being such a passionate lover to acting like a petulant child stuck in the back seat of a car during a long drive?

In an attempt to hush the kindergarten gem, Pearl pass-aggressively splashes her. 

“I'm sure Garnet is just busy decontaminating the house.” She says flatly, scooping some water into her hands and dashing it across her face. 

Amethyst grumbles, glowering at the gem who holds her affections. While Pearl is rubbing her face, Amethyst drifts closer, collecting salty water in her mouth as she goes. 

“Besides, it's not SO bad. I mean, there aren't any humaaAAAAUUUhh-- AMETHYST!” She screams when she's suddenly assaulted with water expelled from Amethyst's mouth. “That's... that's so disgusting!”

“Hahaaaa...Oh really? So it's only acceptable to use my mouth when I'm--”

“Stop right there.” She deadpans, wiping her face in sheer revulsion. “You can't compare violating my face with--”

“Violating that pussy, _straight_ up.” She interjects, returning to floating on her back and appearing completely relaxed. “Aw, chill out P. If anything it's _helping_. It's healing water!”

“I was perfectly fine bathing myself, thank you.” She says flatly, watching the other gem drift by.

“Mannnn... I thought fucking you would make you loosen up at least a little.” She sighs, keeping her eyes closed. “And yes, I mean that in more ways than one.” She adds with a sly grin.

Pearl frowns. Maybe she is being too... uptight? 

All too suddenly, she feels something creeping up her throat, exuded from her mouth in thick, black liquid. It tastes like lead and burns her mouth. She doesn't dare touch it, instead taking a few steps back from the water that becomes tainted by it. It seeps from under her gem, cascading down her face. Amethyst loses her balance in shock, quickly rushing over to the other.

“Woah, what the hell is going on?!” She panics, holding Pearl up so she doesn't go under. She has no choice but to wait whatever it is out, since Pearl seems completely unresponsive. The event lasts only a few more seconds before she snaps out of it. She coughs up the rest of it, almost gagging.

“Is this morning sickness?” Amethyst jokes nervously, Pearl gives her a strained side glance.

“Why is this...only happening to me?” She chokes, rubbing her throat and glancing to Amethyst's gem; which looks as pristine as ever. The shorter gem forms no response, gathering water in her hands and using it to clean the black material away. 

“Maybe its a good thing.” She groans, leaning into Amethyst's touch. “Maybe its a sign that the toxins are leaving? I don't know...” She sighs, disheartened at her lack of knowledge on this certain subject.

Amethyst examines Pearl's gem; it's still gray and not as lustrous as it used to be. She keeps her observations to herself, however, and simply resigns to rubbing Pearl's back trying to comfort her. 

* * *

Pearl hasn't left the water since the episode. Instead she sits in the water, shoulder deep and silently observing their environment. Amethyst is worried, but doesn't mention anything because it's too difficult and depressing to talk about. A silent worry that the radiation is somehow more harmful to Pearl is cause for concern. And she's absolutely frustrated that she can't do anything about it; that they have to wait for Garnet to show up to confirm anything.

“Are you alright?” Amethyst asks, taking the spot next to her teammate in the water.

Pearl makes a small noise, which doesn't really affirm a yes or a no. 

“This stuff is freaking me out.” She admits, staring out at the water's surface. Calm surroundings do little to help the tension. 

“It's probably nothing.” Pearl says, clearly unconvinced of her own words. 

“Tch. That's supposed to be my line.”

Pearl glances over, seeing genuine sadness etched into Amethyst's face. She wishes she could comfort her, but she herself can hardly be comforted. She leans in closer, stealing a kiss from Amethyst's warm lips. The gesture apparently does more good than expected, as a smile forms soon after.

“So like... how're we gonna break it to Ste-man that we're like... all touchy-feely now?” Amethyst mentions, trying to steer the topic towards something less dire.

Pearl wonders herself for a moment. “I'm sure we just say it as simple as possible. He was pretty receptive to finding out about Ruby and Sapphire.” She explains, taking a handful of water and splashing her face. “In fact I can imagine he'll be pleased in some way. He finds ways to celebrate even the smallest things.”

“Gee Pearl I guess this means we gotta get gem married or something.” She says jokingly, running her fingers through her mane to get it out of her face. The gesture is a slight turn-on for Pearl.

“I wouldn't put it past Steven to set up something ludicrous like that.” She replies with a small laugh. Her throat is still sore from her violent expulsion. 

“Now that I'd like to see.” Comes a familiar voice. The two of them cock their heads around swiftly, seeing Garnet standing behind them. One hand on her hip, the other carrying a black rectangular device. 

“Wow, that's really creepy but whatever.” Amethyst mumbles, brooding over the fact that Garnet may or may not have frightened her. 

Pearl, not particularly enthused at the idea of being naked anymore, remains in the water for the sheer comfort of having some form of cover. “What's that?” She asks, looking to the weird device that clicks like static every so often. 

“A Geiger Counter.” She says, not giving any explanation beyond that. The other two gems look to Garnet, expecting more.

“...And?” Amethyst drawls after waiting about 10 seconds.”

“It measures radiation. The more it clicks, the more radiation it detects.”

“How does that work?” Pearl asks, genuinely curious to learn about the technology. 

Garnet adjusts her shades, kneeling down so that she's more eye-level with her teammates. “Secret.”

“Ugh, Pearl. Who cares how it works?” Amethyst grunts, elbowing her gently. 

Pearl directs a glare sideways for a moment, but returns her attention to the black box. “Do we have to... do anything?” She asks, wondering if she'll have to stand up and be exposed for any length of time.

“Nope.” She says, lowering the device near Amethyst first. The crackling is low and infrequent. Garnet's response gives no indication of this being good or bad. As soon as the device enters Pearl's vicinity, the crackling is much louder, and steady. Garnet frowns a little.

“Woah woah, whats with the look? The fizzing is good, right?” Amethyst interjects, looking to the device as if offended.

“No. The more crackling you hear, the higher the reading for radiation.”

Pearl seems downcast at the news, lowering her head. A wave of pessimism courses through Amethyst, but is quickly replaced with equal distress. 

“However, its only been a day since you got here. You can't expect such a high concentration of radiation to vanish within a few hours. This may take time. Personally, I sense a significant difference already. In the Kindergarten, I could practically feel it coming off of you.”

“...Is that true?” Pearl asks, a glint of hope on her face. 

“Mm.” Garnet confirms with a nod. “I'm receiving a reading of 169.593 sieverts from you. And 59.6277 from Amethyst. We'll just have to see what the readings are tomorrow so we can better understand how long it will take.”

“Where did you even get that thing?” Amethyst polls, leering at the device.

“Greg.”

“What?! Why does HE have something like that? Oh wait, nevermind. He's a hoarder.” She concludes, adopting a look of disinterest soon-after. 

“Are you two having fun?” Garnet asks, quickly changing the subject. The two gems have polar reactions; Pearl curling into herself and directing an anxiety-filled stare at the water, while Amethyst just grins, twirling a stand of hair around her finger. 

“Oh _yes._ ” Amethyst affirms, glancing to the side at her embarrassed accomplice. 

“Then you won't mind staying here longer.” Garnet concludes, a grin mimicking Amethyst's. 

“Urgh, no, waIT! Can't you like...bring us something to do?! I'm so bored. And there's nothing to eat!”

“...What would I bring you?”

“I dunno'! Like... uhm... that weird boardgame Steven made us play. The one about food?”

“I am NOT playing Kitchen Kalamity with you, Amethyst.” Pearl interjects, resting her head on her knees.

“What? Why not?!”

“Because that game is already confusing enough on its own; the fact that you don't like to play by the rules makes it worse.”

“My way of playing makes it more _fun_.” Amethyst rebukes, crossing her arms as if stating a well-known fact. 

“I think you mean 'unfair'.” Pearl counters with a fed-up tone.

“I'll show you unfair.” She says gruffly, displaying a promiscuous smile. 

Pearl shuts up, only supplying a restrained grunt, not wanting to encourage Amethyst to do anything lewd; especially not with their teammate as an audience.

“Well, I'm sure you'll find a way to stay entertained. I have to get back to decontaminating the house.”

Amethyst groans, kicking at the water idly. “Ffffffine. Bring me chips tomorrow.”

“Maybe.” Garnet replies, standing up. “Behave, you two.”

“Tch, that won't be a problem.” Amethyst states, giving Pearl a baiting look. Pearl rolls her eyes.

* * *

Night time. Again. Amethyst has completely given up on raving about how bored she is and how there's nothing to do. Pearl only leaves the water occasionally, because she hates the pruning effect water has on her skin if she's submerged for too long. If Pearl takes a break from bathing, so does Amethyst; and the time spent on shore entails lethargic cuddling and relaxed make outs. Pearl would admit that it's... peaceful. And she doesn't think she's ever seen Amethyst so... calm? The way she plays with Pearl's hair while they lie together in the shade is simply delightful.

Their lives are so typically objective driven from day to day, its hard to just... unwind, and not think about what needs to be done. 

“I wonder why your readings were lower...” Pearl vocalizes suddenly. Her head rests in Amethyst's lap, peering up at her while she seems completely zoned out. Amethyst's fingertips idly brushing along Pearl's gem soothingly. 

It takes a few moments for Amethyst to come back down from her trance.

“Huh?”

“Your numbers. For the radiation. Yours were lower than half of mine...” She explains, somewhat disappointed when Amethyst ceases her petting. 

“Shouldn't you know that kind of stuff? You seem to know everything to do with gem stuff.” She sighs lazily, leaning backwards until her back is against the blanket. She rests her head on folded arms.

“I never encountered radiation to this extent. I mean... I've heard very small rumors, hushed whispers, saw a few reports I wasn't supposed to back when I was still on Homeworld about.. radiation being a form of torture for vagrant or rogue gems... but I wasn't high enough in authority to really get a clear understanding.” She explains, voice trailing off. Amethyst stares outward, taking notice of the moon's abnormally bright phase.

“Sounds legit.” Amethyst yawns, stretching slightly. The yawn is contagious, and triggers Pearl to do the same. 

“But its hard to believe that such a powerful source of radiation was the product of human error. I think that human stupidity is far more dangerous than any of Homeworld's advanced technology.”

“Maybe my numbers were lower because I'm not a big nerd.”

Pearl scoffs, propping herself up on her elbows and looking down at the other gem. “How can you dismiss serious subjects so easily? Doesn't any of this disturb or... frighten you?”

For a moment, Amethyst is simply enamored by Pearl's natural elegance. It's hard to concentrate when faced with such beauty; especially the naked kind. She can't help herself; taking in each subtle curve of Pearl's body in real-time. But her question begs an answer, and Amethyst has to pull herself away from indulging her gaze any longer. 

“Euuh... not really? I mean... Garnet seems to think that this water junk is helping. All we have to do now is be... rrgghgh... _patient_...” She says, cringing at the very word. Amethyst isn't usually one for moderation or endurance of any kind-- especially the 'sitting around doing nothing' kind.

“Mm...”

“Why? You worried, Pierogi?” 

Pearl sighs, convinced that Amethyst is completely detached from any kind of serious situation. 

“I just...” Pearl starts, wondering if it's really alright to open up to Amethyst. It's one thing to be physically intimate, but another thing to be open with her feelings. She searches Amethyst's eyes, as if surveying if she'd be prime for receiving such sensitive subject matter.

“...You just...??” Amethyst echoes, watching Pearl get lost in her inner monologues. 

Pearl relents with a steady exhale. “I just... I've...”

“Pearl?” Amethyst tries softly, noticing the small struggle.

“It's just... I always used to... I've always seen myself as weak... I've had to work so hard for thousands of years to learn the... strength, the knowledge, the skills and albeit, _stunted_ , confidence I've had up until now. Despite my position in the grand scheme of Gem hierarchy, I've broken the mold I was forged into. I thought I was... coming to be equal to the team, in some way. And even with all that, I pale in comparison to... Garnet, to Rose... to you.” She breaks off, looking to Amethyst with a desperate intensity. Amethyst swallows hard, unsure of what to say; but before long, Pearl continues. 

“It took so much for me to get so far. I was starting to accept myself and feel...valuable. And now this happens, and I'm weaker than I've ever been... what if I never... what if I'm stuck like this? I can't summon my weapon, I can't use my magic, I can't even make a measly holographic projection. If I can't do anything... then that means I'm... I'm useless as I am now.” She finishes, eyes averted to the ground. Her face is hot, hardly believing she'd even managed to admit it without dissolving into a mess.

Amethyst rubs the back of her neck; not because its awkward, but because its been such a long time since Pearl had opened up to her like this. That, and its always a bit hard for her to string together any kind of reassurance; even if she disagrees with the concept of Pearl ever being weak or useless, it's just difficult to put it into a coherent message. Her cheeks adopt a deep violet hue as she tries to offer some form of comfort. Amethyst brings her hand up to the other gem's face, gently stroking her profile. 

“Woah... now... Pearl. You've never been weak. At least, not to me.” She says carefully, knowing that the slightest joke or misstep could derail the conversation and cause Pearl to drop the subject entirely and shut herself away again. “Look... I don't know much about... Gem business on Homeworld, but that shit doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where you came from or why you were made. You said that to me a long time ago... so why doesn't that apply to you?”

Pearl careens into Amethyst's hand, finding the warmth to be at least slightly comforting. “I don't... know.”

“You're... you're like the strongest... bravest...coolest Gem I know, P.” She admits, blushing harder and finding it more and more difficult to make eye contact. “Even if you are kind of a nerd.”

Pearl slants her mouth and performs a soft eyeroll, but withholds a comeback, being too vulnerable to articulate any form of snark. 

“You'll never be useless. Not to me. And not to Garnet or Steven. I don't care what kind of wacko standards you have for yourself. You gotta learn to let that shit go, Pearl. You're... you're perfect the way you are. Even if you can't do the stuff you used to. And like... you just... you worry about shit too much. We haven't given this stuff enough time. I'm sure we'll find a way to fix this. We always find a way. Garnet herself said you felt different.”

“What if she was just saying that...” Pearl chokes, holding in the burning urge to cry.

“C'mon Pearl. This is Garnet we're talking about. Do you REALLY think she would lie about something like this? She's Miss Serious.”

“...No.” Pearl admits. Amethyst is right. Pearl is just being... paranoid. But she can't help feeling this way. She can't help feeling so... vulnerable. Amethyst brushes her thumb over Pearl's gem, as if trying to soothe the creeping depression. She murmurs in response, moving up closer and resting her head over Amethyst's chest. For a moment, Amethyst tenses up, finding a vulnerable Pearl embracing her to be much more different than a Pearl in ecstasy; but it doesn't take long to relax into her touch again, draping her arms around her frail teammate. 

“Do you... do you really think those things of me, Amethyst..?” Pearl breathes, voice carrying against Amethyst's skin softly.

The violet gem sighs; not from impatience, but wishing Pearl could only see herself the way everyone else did. “Yeah. I do.”

“Mm...”

“Why? You think I'm lyin'?” 

“Well... no. It's just hard to believe that in lieu of all the... teasing and picking on me.” She says, tracing the edges of Amethyst's gem with her index finger. 

“Eh, that's my way of flirting.” Amethyst retorts through a yawn. 

Pearl scoffs a small laugh. “Really now?”

“Yeap.”

In post-emotional apathy, Pearl cocks her head so that she has better access to the other gem's mouth; inviting herself in for a tender kiss. Ebbing the sorrow away in indulging herself of Amethyst's soft lips. Amethyst is well-received to the gesture, rubbing her hands up and down Pearl's rigid back and deepening the kiss of her own pleasure. 

When they part it is quiet, but regarded, as Pearl utters a 'thank you.' before curling herself against Amethyst, retiring to a small sleep spell.

* * *

“158.1991 sieverts.” Garnet observes, reading the small screen on the Geiger counter. Not much of a difference... only about 11 points. Pearl is immediately disheartened, which Amethyst is quick to pick up on. 

“Hey, that's still lower than yesterday! That means this dumb water is working.” She tries, giving Pearl a small pat on the back. She is unresponsive to this.

“At this rate, it will take two weeks to decontaminate her.” Garnet explains, sending the device away in a flash of magic. 

“That's not so bad... right?” Amethyst drawls, looking between the two of them with a strange tension. 

“What was Amethyst's reading?” Pearl mumbles, keeping her gaze fixed into the water. 

“28 point something.” She replies, pushing her shades up. 

“How is that even possible?” Pearl jolts, finally looking up at her teammate with a low-key misdirected rage. 

Garnet shrugs coolly. “As I said before, the radiation affects our gems differently.”

“But how so? What's different..?” Pearl asks, sounding more and more pitiful. 

“I'm guessing it has to do with hardness. Amethyst's gem is hard, dense. Radiation can't cling to it as easily as yours. Pearl's are soft and easily altered.”

Pearl sighs, lowering her head. “I can't do this for two weeks.”

“You can.” Garnet affirms. “I know you can.”

“Soooo, Ste-man comes back tomorrow, right? Is the house like... safe?”

“Not yet. I've informed him to stay with the Maheswaran's, and that under no circumstances should he come home until I've said its safe.”

“How are you staying in contact with him? You ain't got a phone, G. Unless you've been hiding it this whole time.” 

“That's a secret.” Garnet replies with a sly grin. 

“Everything's a damn secret... urgh... you didn't even bring my chips! I'm gonna starve to death here.”

“Amethyst... you know that's not even pos--” Pearl starts, being abruptly cut off by Amethyst's hand. 

“Pearl. I swear...”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It's been four days. Amethyst feels spiritually equivalent to that guy in Cast Away who's stranded on an island with only a damn volleyball named Wilson as a companion; Pearl being the volleyball. She's depressed and notably quiet. Ever since she'd been greeted with a vague two-week time frame, she'd grown more and more distant. More pensive. Only receptive to physical affections like spooning and huddling close through the cooler nights. 

The reaction, to Amethyst, is odd. It's not like she'd been given a death sentence. It's just a waiting game now. However, what started out as two weeks has been extended to three. And then to four. Each day that Garnet has returned has given different results. As if the radiation was clinging harder and harder as time passes. The radiation went down 10 sieverts on the first day. Six on the second. Five on the third. And today it turns out she'd only lost one sievert. These odd units of measurement do nothing for her optimism. She doesn't even know what a sievert is equivalent to. 

It's hard to fight something you can't see. And even harder to accept the fact. 

They both lie on the blanket, which is quickly showing signs of wear and weather. It'd been particularly hot today. Physical affection is typically reserved for nighttime, when its not so uncomfortable to hug and touch. Pillow talk has dwindled down to penniless conversation. About weather patterns and observing consetallations. Pearl hasn't had another vulnerable moment; but that doesn't mean there isn't something on her mind. Amethyst knows Pearl well enough to know when things aren't right. And Pearl hasn't been right in a long time.

Despite the slight improvements, Pearl remains physically feeble. Her powers are still cut off, and her gem remains a foggy-gray. Amethyst, on the other hand, has completely recovered; rated at a dead .00001 sV. Pearl is still settled at 146.8889. As to why the water is having less and less effect each day, none of them have come to any sort of conclusion. 

It's disheartening; but Amethyst is trying so hard to stay positive, if not her herself, but for Pearl. 

The optimism, however, does little to help Pearl. And what started out as a relaxing time away and an opportunity for progressions in their relationship has been warped into an awkward, silent string of agonizing days. 

When Garnet has left again, Pearl seems to have reached some kind of decision, as she stands shakily from the blanket. 

“Whats up, P?” Amethyst drawls, looking up at her in a mix of awe and confusion. She looks admittedly stunning in the evening glow despite being as ill as she is. 

The look on Pearl's face is... distant. As if she's focusing on an objective that lies far beyond her reach. It's chilling, somehow. She finally moves to answer, though its not exactly something Amethyst had expected. 

“Can you summon your whip?” 

“Uh, yeah? Why? You wanna switch it up tonight and get kinky?” She jokes, laughing with a hint of nervousness. 

Pearl looks down at her teammate, with a silent resolve. “I... I'm going to ask you to do something. And I need you to try and stay... calm.”

“I don't think I can stay calm when tying you up, P.” She grins, summoning her weapon in a simple gesture mixed with gem glow. 

“Amethyst, please.”

“Please what?” Amethyst squints, tensing up at the sudden decline in mood. Something is off.

“Will you do this for me?” 

“Maybe if you stop acting weird and ask nicely...” Amethyst suggests, dropping the smile. “Whats wrong?”

For some time, Pearl seems unsure of her own mysterious delegation; opening her mouth to say something but nothing follows. 

Amethyst stands up from the blanket, stepping closer and gently taking a hold of Pearl's hand. “What is it, Pearl?” She draws, looking up at her. She is met with a manifestation of mixed feelings painting the taller gem's face. 

“I want you to... poof me.”

Amethyst tenses up; swearing she must have heard wrong. “What..?”

Pearl strains an exhale, as if losing all patience immediately. “I can't... summon my weapons. Otherwise I would... do it myself.”

“Are you nuts?! Why do you want to poof yourself?!” Yells Amethyst, letting go of Pearl's hand and stepping backwards. 

Pearl mirrors Amethyst's rage, as if she'd rehearsed a defense for such a reaction. “This... this plan isn't working anymore, Amethyst.”

“Uh, yes it is.” Amethyst snaps. “It's just taking longer than we thought it would! You don't have to get poofed to fix this!”

“Amethyst, please. I can't... I can't be like this anymore. I'd rather just take my chances this way.”

“Don't you remember what Garnet said?! Poofing you might cause a nuclear explosion or some junk! I'm not doing that.”

Pearl grunts in frustration, stepping closer to the other gem with prepared persuasion. “That was before we fused. The radiation was halved then, and it's... it's gone down at least a little since then. But like I said, this _water_ isn't working anymore!”

“My answer is still no, Pearl. You... you're acting so crazy! I know it feels like shit to be stuck like this and it really sucks, but it's only been like four days! You're always telling me to be patient with everything. Why are you being so... so stupid?!”

“That's easy for you to say! You... you're already cured!”

When Amethyst doesn't respond, Pearl decides to further her case.

“I... I just want to be normal again. I want to go home; back to the temple. I want to see Steven. I don't want to be like this anymore. It's awful. It's painful. My throat hurts from puking that... black mess. My whole body aches. I can hardly walk on my own. I... I feel so pitiful. I hate it. I hate this...”

Amethyst crosses her arms, trying to stave off whatever guilt is creeping into her. “There has to be ano--”

“I don't want another way. I want to do _this_. I want it, now..”

“Lets just... lets just give this a few more days, P. You're going way too far with this, and its freaking me out...”

“Amethyst...” Pearl draws, lowering her voice. She takes another step closer, kneeling in front of her with a quieted plea hanging in her eyes. Amethyst's grip on her weapon tightens, at a loss for what to do. It's extremely rare that Pearl ever asks for anything of others. She always comes off as a self-sufficient, singular gem; too proud to accept help of any kind. It's difficult to see her this way. To see her desperate to a point of faux-suicidal tendencies. “We tried it your way. We tried it Garnet's way. It's time to try it my way.”

Visions of hurting Pearl in any way flood Amethyst's consciousness; all of them difficult to endure. She grits her teeth, tensing under Pearl's morbid suggestion. 

“Please.”

“What if... what if the explosion shatters your gem?” Amethyst chokes, curbing the urge to cry. 

“I don't think that will happen. If we're going to stick to what we know, scientifically... the explosion will form within the physical event horizon around my gem; not from within. My body will simply... detach from the source and dissipate into a cloud of matter, as usual. And we don't even know if it will cause an explosion; that's just speculation.”

Amethyst bites her lip, glowering away from pearl. How can she be so calm and methodical about something so disturbing. Especially when Pearl knows little of the nature of her illness. She's normally one to take precautions and try understanding something fully before making any sort of rash decision. 

When the shorter gem fails to come to any sort of decision, Pearl rests her hands over both Amethyst's shoulders in gentle persuasion. Amethyst notably cringes under the touch. 

“Wh...what if we just... fuse? That might halve it again.”

Pearl doesn't honor a response; rejecting the idea with silence. 

“This is insane.” Amethyst admits, slackening her grip on the whip handle. “How would I... how would I do it..?”

“You mean how would you use it?” Pearl defines, voice completely calm. It's unsettling. “I've thought about this, actually. I remember, about 500 years ago, during medieval times, a common form of torture that was used, was flogging. It wasn't the act itself that typically killed the victims, but the aftershock. The pain. I think it'd be our best bet.”

“How is that the BEST BET?! That sounds fucking awful! I'm not doing that to you!” Amethyst cracks, clearly upset at the very thought of flogging Pearl.

“Because, if you are honestly worried about an explosion of some kind resulting from poofing me, then the best way to do this would be to incite a delayed response.”

“...What do you mean..delayed?”

Pearl swallows a sigh, wishing she didn't have to be so... explanatory. “What I mean is... after you've... performed your duties, it would take... a few minutes... perhaps hours, before my physical form would succumb to the pain. That way, you could find a comfortable... distance, away from me. Therefore, limiting the risk to you.”

Amethyst laughs coldly, again, pulling away from Pearl. “This is a... fucking joke, right? You're saying you want me to... hurt you and... just... walk away? Watch from the sidelines for you to die?!”

“It's not DYING, Amethyst. My body is just an illu--”

“I KNOW ALL OF THAT! I still hate it! I don't want to hurt you!”

Pearl frowns, hating to see the upset she's causing in Amethyst. She sighs, moving to comfort her somehow. “If you think about it, it'd be like you're helping me.”

“I don't care... I mean... I DO care... I just... I don't..”

Suddenly, Amethyst's lips are captured in bittersweet sentiment, communicating a silent encouragement. Amethyst is reluctant, wondering if the kiss is some form of bribery. The kiss is brief, and upsetting. 

When they part, the look on Pearl's face seems to implicate a sense of finality; her mind is made up. And she needs Amethyst to perform. 

“What am I going to tell Garnet...” Amethyst relents, feeling disgusted that she's even giving clearance to Pearl's objective. 

“Hopefully I'll regenerate before then.”

“But what if you don't?! Like, at all?!”

“You're over-thinking this, Amethyst... it'll be just like any other time I've been poofed.”

“You don't know that..” Amethyst argues, averting her eyes away from the other gem.

“I... what if I... promise you?” She tries, reaching forward and brushing Amethyst's hair out of the way to get a better look. Despite her inner turmoil, a violet blush creeps into her cheeks.

Amethyst is slightly offended by the offer; she's not a human child. She can't be persuaded with 'promises', but somehow, she allows it. “...How will I... when do I stop... doing it...?”

“I think I'll try to... gauge verbally when I've had enough. That or if I pass out.”

“That sounds A-fuckin-plus...” Amethyst pangs low, laced with pessimism and crossing her arms. 

“It'll be okay...” Pearl tries, knowing that this won't be easy. 

* * *

Weak hands grip onto a large rock near the shore as she kneels in the sand. The sun is choking out its last breath before disappearing in consent to encroaching night time. She doesn't dare look behind her; knowing that seeing Amethyst's saddened face might dissuade her from going through with her plan.

It's a weird feeling; submitting to the act of violence so that she may regenerate. Could things really get better in time? Is this the right thing to do? It has to be.. otherwise why would Pearl even think of it?

The mass of stone in front of her is rust colored; not unlike the decayed walls in the underground room where this whole charade began. That dark room in Chernobyl everything got fucked up. In Pearl's thousands of years in existence, it never fails to amaze her how things always seem to come full circle, or bring coincidences, no matter how small. 

At least it's still warm; being whipped in cold weather would bring the pain to a whole new level. She exhales, wondering how exactly they'll go about beginning this... act. And if Amethyst will be able to keep going after the first strike. She can't back out until the end. This isn't something Amethyst can quit if it comes to be too much. It's all or nothing. Pearl can only hope that she'll be able to tell when enough is enough; then again, maybe she'll pass out before having to decide for herself. 

“Are you... ready?” Pearl breathes, just loud enough for Amethyst to hear. The gem in question stands several feet away, growing more and more restless at the sight of Pearl, kneeling in front of her, submitting to an impending torture. She shudders, gripping the whip in her hand in preparation. 

“Shouldn't I be the one asking that?” She chokes, wishing she could just run forward and hold her instead. 

“I am ready.” Pearl says calmly, only heightening Amethyst's anxiety. 

“Okay...”

With a shaking hand, Amethyst raises the whip behind her, feeling time like thick, suffocating presence, as if it were creeping to a halt and pulling her with. Pearl's back, displayed to her and prompting Amethyst to begin; alabaster skin, flawless like a blank sheet of parchment awaiting the touch of an ink quill. 

She swallows hard, finally crackling the whip forward. It splits through the air, and she closes her eyes, not wanting to see the payment of it's strike against Pearl's skin. 

The sounds that follow are brief. The cracker making swift contact with Pearl, followed by a sharp, pained inhale. For a moment, Amethyst halts, leaving the throng of her whip in the sands, refusing to look forward. 

Pearl, coming down from her moment of agony, notices the pause.

“Again.” She commands, voice hoarse from the pain. 

Reluctantly, Amethyst does as she's told, raising the whip again and flicking it harshly at the other. A second cut soon joins the first, forming a haphazard cerulean 'X' into Pearl's skin. 

“Nnnghh..” Pearl groans, quelling her urge to scream; she bites her tongue, awaiting the third. She doesn't know if it'd be wise to keep count, but does so anyways.

The third one is harder, followed by a fourth, fifth, and sixth. Each strike earning its own unique, muted groan. Tears are already forming in her eyes. It stings like fire. Like having salt and lemon juice poured into her wounds each time the whip returns, creating a morbid artwork of lashings. 

With each swing, Amethyst grows more and more detached, trying to block out the whole experience, wanting it to be over already. 

By the 30th lashing, Pearl is no longer able to withhold her anguished screams. Her whole body feels as if she's burning; bruised fingertips digging into the stone before her in desperate claim to stay upright. Despite her strangled howling, Amethyst remains diligent, knowing that stopping now would be pointless. Her movements are fluid, commanding her whip skillfully. 

Blue flux, dripping from open wounds and trickling into the sands, occasionally splattering onto the rock in front of her. 

It's messy, and savage. Her vision swims with a steady stream of tears. She's bitten her tongue hard enough by now so that she can taste her own blood. Mixing with the aftertaste of lead. Each lash, gradually forcing her to become limp. She's lost count. 

Amethyst's breathing becomes ragged, keeping up with her task is more mentally taxing than it is physically. Pearl's screams making it more and more difficult to continue. At about 110 lashes, she swears it should be enough, but Pearl hasn't given indication of being finished. 

She has to stop for a second, thinking that maybe Pearl has passed out by now. 

But she hasn't, and she's almost too quick to tell Amethyst to continue.

A shunted, pain-filled groan flows from pearl's throat, focusing on the sand beneath her. “..K..keep going.” 

And Amethyst does. Thrashing her whip forward again, and again, small grunts escaping as she does. 

. . . . .

The kindergarten gem finally collapses to her knees, no long able to keep it up. Pearl has endured close to 600 lashings over the course of two hours; or so she guesses. It was difficult to keep count between Pearl's awful screeching. 

But the gem in question is quiet now, only committing to shallow breathing. The pain is beyond anything she's ever endured; surely it will be enough to force her to retreat into her gem. Her fingertips are now bloody from her tireless clawing and gripping for stability on the stone landmark. 

Amethyst stares forward, wanting to advance and take care of the pain she'd caused, but knows now that Pearl cannot be approached. Not with the possibility of a nuclear explosion resulting her her imminent 'death'. 

Despite the risk, Amethyst still pushes forward, wanting to hold Pearl.

“N-no... Amethyst.” Pearl strangles, black liquid starting to excrete from her throat again. She manages an exhausted look to the other gem. “You h.aahh.. you have to ss-stay away.” 

Amethyst stops in her tracks, doing as she's told, yet again. This is surely the most painful experience she's encountered; not being able to comfort Pearl-- and having to wait for the result of the whipping to run it's course. 

Her back stings, and it spreads. Her body is disposed and wracked with immense misery. Agony coursing through her veins and crawling under her skin. She can't think straight. She can't focus on anything but the pain. 

A macabre painting of blue in the sands beneath her showcase just how brutal a beating she'd endured. Black oil continues sporadically, expelling from her throat and joining the azure stains. It's awful; scorching her throat and reeking of lead.

“G-get back, Amethyst.” She warns, feeling a sense of fatality starting to take roots. She'll probably poof very soon. 

Reluctantly, Amethyst moves away, putting a fair distance between them. There's a thick, anticipated tension in the air. She watches Pearl slump forward in surrender. 

Before long, it becomes too much. Her grip on the rock fading as it succumbs to her encroaching black out. Her vision fades, body finally yielding from the pain and forcing her to pass out. Soon after, her physical form is released in a luminous bright explosion, displaying enough force to cause the trees to sway and the lake surface to become unsettled. 

The sound is deafening, booming and echoing loud. Sand is kicked up as a result, scattering and forcing Amethyst to cover her eyes. The smoke of the explosion, billowing outwards in a luminescent plume of pastel vapor. 

Like powerful thunder echoing, silence soon follows; and for a while, Amethyst remains on the ground, waiting for the dust to settle. Such a powerful explosion; she can hardly find the optimism to believe Pearl's gem survived such a cataclysm. She coughs violently, sand somehow having found its way into her mouth and throat. 

Was this the right thing to do? What if Pearl's gem disintegrated? She could never see Pearl again. She should have said no! This was a horrible idea-- and Amethyst can't help but assume the worst.

Were the explosion not caused for such morbid reasons, Amethyst would think it to be a beautiful display, but knowing that it was directly the result of Pearl's physical form detonating like a bomb just makes it hard to take in. 

Five minutes feel like an hour. Waiting for everything to settle. Her vision finally stabilizes, peering through the glowing fog and looking for a sign of Pearl's gem. She's too far away from the stone monolith, and finally gathers herself up to return to the site. It's nighttime, but the aftermath of the explosion has created a surreal sort of lighting; a strange glow. Too peaceful a sight in comparison to what just happened. 

As she draws closer, her anxiety skyrockets, seeing no sign of Pearl's gem in the sands.


	14. Arc I - Overture

Amethyst is frantic. Eyes darting over the sands where Pearl's blood is scattered in gruesome display.

It shouldn't be hard to find a white gem; and yet there is no trace. The haze of the aftermath of a bright explosion still clings to her vision, furthering her anxiety-induced frustration. Her gaze comes to rest on the large rock, covered in Pearl's cerulean blood splatters; and Amethyst suddenly feels sick.

What if she's gone? What if Amethyst killed her?

A whimper claws up her throat, tumbling out in a strangled, tearful groan as she falls to her knees, dismissing her whip in a flash.

And then something hits her on top of the head. Hard.

A small curse escapes her lips as she brings a palm up to her head trying to soothe to sharp pain in her crown. With one eye clamped shut, she searches around her, wondering what smacked her.

Pearl's gem lies in the same next to her, claiming responsibility for the abuse.

Amethyst immediately exhales with relief, bringing her hand down to her chest as if to stop her pointless heart from beating so fast. The gem appears to be back to its normal color, as well. It no longer harbors the dull, gray smog from earlier. That must be a good thing. 

It has to be.

As if fearful of shattering the gem with her touch, she gently presses a single fingertip to its surface. It's hot; very hot, and she has to withdraw her hand quickly, shaking it back and forth rapidly to alleviate the burn.

“Urgh... Pearl.” She grunts. “You WOULD find a way to be difficult, even when you're like this.” Amethyst slackens, staring down at the hot gem with reprieve. Reaching up, she wipes the cold sweat from her face, finally taking time to get a grip and calm down. If Pearl hadn't survived, she would never forgive herself.

Her next concerns lie in when Pearl will regenerate, and what Garnet will do if she finds out about this. Amethyst has no concept of how long her teammate will take to reform, and she doesn't fully know the extent of Garnet's future vision. Did she know this would happen? Did she know Pearl would lose hope and ask Amethyst to force her into releasing her physical form?

If Garnet did know this, would she have tried to stop it from happening?

* * *

After waiting about an hour for the gem to cool down, Amethyst finally collected it, bathed it, and resigned to their blanket, simply resting it on her stomach as she made desperate attempts at napping. It's rather boring without Pearl to talk to; and heading back to the temple with Pearl like this might cause problems. She'd rather just wait for her to regenerate.

That is, assuming she'll be able to regenerate before Garnet will return tomorrow. Pearl is notorious for taking an unreasonable amount of time coming back from anything; unless Rose's life were at risk, then she'd come back within minutes.

Amethyst can't help but wonder if Pearl would rush back for her sake this time around...

Her surroundings are painfully silent. Amethyst also becomes aware of a faint ringing in her ears; possibly from hearing such a loud explosion. Idly, she picks at her ear with her pinky finger, as if digging at it will solve anything. Pearl's gem is warm against her body, only making Amethyst miss her even more. The fact that her last glimpse of her was a bloodied corpse doesn't make any of this easier.

Her wielding hand is raw; tender from gripping her weapon so rigidly for so long. Now it simply reminds her of the deed; a gentle throbbing coursing through her palm and fingertips. It would be nothing to heal this; after all, her gem isn't tainted anymore. But she supposes she'll keep the pain a while longer, as a way to punish herself for agreeing to such a risky plan. After all, Pearl endured far worse in comparison. Pearl is tougher than she believes herself to be-- but that's been evident to Amethyst for a long time now. She's always known Pearl to have such incredible endurance.

It'd be impossible to fall asleep now. Not on the chance that Pearl might regenerate at any moment. And not with this horrible anxiety plaguing her thoughts. Per her paranoia, she lifts Pearl's gem to her face, observing it with great intensity just to make sure nothing is wrong.

It's perfect. Pearl is perfect.

 

* * *

Eyes hidden by shades observe the shorter gem, and to the Pearl gently clutched by her stocky hands. Then it comes to her attention the events leading up to now. The conversation they must have had. The desperate transgressions. The abuse. The heat of the moment and the cold of the aftermath. What happened while Garnet was gone was nothing short of a heedless, hopeless machination of extreme boldness... especially on Amethyst's part. The purple gem has always been careless and quick-triggered, but Garnet knows that Amethyst would have been against this, and that pearl likely coerced or persuaded her into doing it.

And yet, despite having a strong sense of what has transpired, Garnet can't keep herself from pressing.

“What were you thinking? You could have destroyed her.” She renders, arms crossed but remaining at least somewhat calm. After all, Pearl's gem is still intact, it'd be pointless to lose her cool.

“I don't know, alright?! I just... she wouldn't let it go And... you know how Pearl can get sometimes. I couldn't... I couldn't fight her off. She was persistent...” She says weakly, looking down to the gem in her hand, worried that somehow Pearl can hear the conversation.

“Hrrmmm. Well... I suppose whats done is done.” She puts simply, holding the Geiger device at the ready.

“If she's not 'radiated' anymore does that mean we can finally go home?” Amethyst groans, missing her bedroom and missing Steven.

“Of course. I finished decontaminating the area. Steven will be coming back this evening.”

“Awwwhhhohohoho...I'm gonna noogie him until he pees.” She she rattles with a grin and pushing her anxiety aside with the thought of getting to see Steven again.

Garnet cracks a small smile. It should be a relief for everyone to be back together. Maybe it might even feel normal once Pearl reforms.

 _If_ she reforms.

No, she can't think this way. There's no reason for Pearl not to reform. Her gem appears fine, and according to the Geiger counter, she is free of all radiation; meaning that it was never her gem that harbored such taint, but her physical form entirely. As for why it turned her gem gray, she can't understand. Radiation torture and punishment was still new territory on Homeworld before she'd left.

She reaches down, placing a hand over her teammate's shoulder in gentle reassurance.

“Then you'll be cleaning it up.”

…

It's strange. Being back in the temple. When you've lived here for so long you become immune to things like the scent, the atmosphere, the small things you take for granted like furniture, lights and warmth. The fireplace is going; but in the stages of dying. Things seem just as they were left; only... a little bit off. Things are shifted ever so slightly; they've been moved.

“Uh...soooo... how did you _decontaminate_ the place?” Amethyst questions, meandering over to the sofa and kicking it back into place.

“That's a secret.” She says coolly, leaning against the kitchen counter and crossing her arms.

“Ugh... everything is a secret. Then again, even if you did try to explain it, I'd probably get bored.” Amethyst admits frankly, plopping onto the sofa with Pearl's gem. It's almost evening now, and Steven should be getting back soon.

The gem in her hands remains inactive; much to Amethyst's displeasure. It's been about three hours since she'd been poofed; sure Pearl has been known to take her sweet time in regeneration, but you would think she'd speed it up a little to put Amethyst's mind at ease...

A frown etches onto her face. “Man... I hope she comes back before Steven gets home.”

Garnet nods with a hum. “I'm sure she'll be back in a few more hours.”

“She better be.” Amethyst grumbles, glaring at Pearl.

Just then, the small pattern of footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs outside.

“Awh man...”

The door opens, and in comes Steven, followed by Greg.

“Steven's back!” He announces to the room, immediately running to Garnet and crashing into her legs in a tight hug. She reaches down, mussing up his hair respectively.

“Yo.” Greg addresses, looking to Amethyst on the couch. She slaps on her usual grin despite the depressing gem in her palms.

“Sup, Gregory.” She returns. “How was your whole 'camping' thing?”

“It was alright... for the most part. Mr.. Maheswaran had a rough time of it though.” He admits, cringing at images Amethyst will never know, nor will he ever forget. “Eugh... how about you guys? Do anything 'cool' while we were out?”

Amethyst's mind is immediately flooded with memories of whipping Pearl to death.

“Uhhh... nope. Nothing. We did nothing. You know... us gems... being boring. Going on lots of boring... missions.” She laughs, unable to play off her usually blasé exterior. “Yo Ste-man, do anything _fun_ with Caw-nee?” She asks, quick to divert the subject away from herself.

Greg makes a strange face between the two, uncomfortable with Amethyst's tone in her inquiry towards his son.

“Yeah! We caught fireflies, and made smores, and looked at stars!” He lists, getting excited at the still-fresh memories. “And we found a lot of cool rocks in the river.” He adds, pulling a small ziplock bag out of his backpack; it's filled with what Amethyst observes to be some really boring-looking pebbles. But, as per her growing maternal instincts, she fakes some excitement to mimic the boy's.

“Rad, lemme see!” Amethyst snatches the bag out of the boy's grasp, setting Pearl's gem on the couch cushion next to her before dumping the rocks out on the table. Steven's eyes wander to the Pearl, and a small frown hangs on his lips.

“Is Pearl gonna' be okay?”

Amethyst flicks her gaze up from the pile of rocks that she was expressing faux interest in to see that Steven and Greg sharing the same look of concern.

“Psh....yeah! You know P. She has to make sure everything's all _perfect_ before she comes back.” She mocks, trying to seem convinced of herself.

Garnet is suddenly behind Steven, putting a hand on his shoulder. “She'll be back in no time.”

“Last time you said that, she took two whole weeks!” He argues, relenting with a small sigh. “I'll go get the heat lamp...”

Amethyst crinkles her brows and cracks a grin. “You know she doesn't need that, right?”

“Yeah, I know. It just feels right though.” Steven responds, working over to the couch-side closet and sifting through small boxes for the lamp.

“Is it because her gem looks like an egg?”

When Steven turns around with a mess of tangles up cords and the appliance, he shrugs, plugging it in. “...Maybe?”

Greg watches his son carefully place Pearl's gem in a bundle of sheets, fixating the lamp directly over her. The three who stand over him all can't help but smile at the nurturing propensities he shares with his mother.

“Well, I better get going. I promised Mayor Dewey that when I got back I would give his campaign van 'the works'.” He claims, gesturing with his arms to emphasis the grandeur of his task.

Steven glances up to his father, simply smiling in understanding of his leave.

After some awkward goodbyes and some concerned glances all around, Greg finally leaves.  

Somehow, the situation seems to intensify in his absence. Garnet observing the boy with masked sympathy. Amethyst has a better grip on hiding her own emotions, leaning back into the sofa and yawning with almost too much enthusiasm.

Steven rests his head on the coffee table, watching Pearl's gem expectantly.

Silently, Garnet leaves the room, further into the temple; likely to tend to some projects that cannot be left alone for too long. After all, it does no good to stand around waiting.

“So...” Steven starts small, as if unsure if he should be asking too much. Amethyst recognizes this, and perks up slightly, wanting Steven to feel comfortable in asking whatever is on his mind.

“What exactly happened?” He asks, encouraged by Amethyst's undivided attention. “To Pearl, I mean. Garnet told me some small stuff... like she got sick. But Gems don't get sick, do they?”

“Euuuhh... welllll... I mean I guess our bodies CAN get sick. Like when I eat really out-dated junk.” She explains with a small cackle. “But our human forms kind of just... get over it? We're never really sick for long.”

Steven nods, already knowing these facts.

“But Pearl got sick in a way that we've... never seen before. She couldn't get better, no matter what we tried. I don't know exactly how or why it happened... I just found her like that when she went on a mission without me.”

“Why didn't you guys go together?”

Amethyst smiles nervously, darting her eyes to the floor and biting her lip. “Oh you know P... she just thought she could handle it on her own...”

Steven in unconvinced, marked by the wrinkled frown he presents.

“Okay okay... I mean we had a SMALL... misunderstanding. But that's besides the point. After Garnet told me on the phone to go with, it had already been a few hours.”

For a moment, Amethyst can practically feel the guilt welling up in her throat; the chain of events that lead Pearl into going alone on such a mission. That petty bullshit argument caused by an inability to just be honest with her feelings for once. When she said it didn't mean anything when they kissed-- even though it meant everything. Pearl had every right to be pissed and demand a solo mission. Some time away. Amethyst was just too stubborn to tell the truth. And now, the gem lying dormant on the table is by all accounts, a product of her persevering stupidity.

“Then what happened?” Steven reels, bringing Amethyst out of yet another bout of self-loathing. His curiosity is genuine, staring wide-eyed at the purple gem seated uncomfortably on the edge of the sofa.

“Well... this place, it's in Russia or some weird place like that. Far away from here. And it took me a really long time to find where Garnet had told me to go, mostly because the place was foggy and dark and I suck at directions.” She crosses her arms, slackening into the couch with a brooding attitude. She doesn't want to reminisce the event in which she'd found Pearl.

“It was in an abandoned building. I guess some long time ago, humans messed something up big time and now this place is highly dangerous to mankind. So they had it blocked off. Garnet wanted us to clean up and dispose of some 'hazardous' material. Because she had a suspicion that if a gem monster found that junk it would be bad or something.” Her eyes shift away, up to the ceiling rafters and away from Pearl's gem. It's becoming harder to look at her now.

“In the basement of this place, I found... Pearl. And it was weird. Like the walls were trying to eat her? I dunno'. I got her out, and she wasn't conscious so I had to drag her outta there. Annnddd... yep that's it.” She ends abruptly, hoping that Steven had heard enough but knowing that he won't be satiated.

“What? That can't be! How did she get better?”

“Magic. Steven. Magic.” She explains, tensing under the boys prying question.

He frowns again, squinting and expecting Amethyst to continue without having to cajole.

“Did you have to poof her?” He asks, applying the already physical evidence before him.  

“Well... yeah. It's... it was her idea.” She says simply, but feeling the slightest pain as she does.

“Oh...”

“But hey! Garnet said she's alright now! We just uh... we just gotta wait, yo. She'll be back. All she whined about was how mush she missed you. I'm sure she's hurrying just for you lil man!”

Steven perks up immediately. “Really? She said she missed me?”

Relieved at the sudden change in direction, Amethyst all too eager to feed into the question.

“Did she ever! Hoho, man... yyyeah... Steven. Nonstop. As soon as you left for your trip she was whining CONSTANTLY. Stuff about... empty nest and... missing your... face... wondering when you were gonna come back. Sometimes, I would come in and see her huddled up on the couch sniffing and crying into your shirts. It was really creepy...”

The falling of Steven's excitement in his face hints his disbelief as Amethyst carries on with her... exaggeration.

“I'm just playin. But yeah, man. She did miss you a whole lot. I'm sure you'll be the first one she hugs when she gets back.”

 

“Not if I hug her first!”

“...Is that a... _challenge_?” Amethyst baits. Steven catches on immediately, as per his quick wit.

“Maybe soooo...”

“Well, challenge _not_ accepted.” Amethyst sighs playfully, folding her arms behind her head. “As tempting as it is to tackle and squeeze the life out of Pearl after she reforms, I know she'll wanna see you really bad.”

“Whenever that is...” Steven mentions, assuming his previous depression and slouching with a pitiful frown. Amethyst can't stand this; its one thing to be sad on her, own, but another thing to see Steven sad.

“Well, while we wait, how about we uh... watch a movie? You know, the ones with all those sword moves that Pearl nags about? “

“...Lonely Blade?” Steven guesses correctly, perking up slightly at the distraction. “I guess we could. I did just get the seventh movie; but it has subtitles.”

“Psh... big deal. I can _read_.” Amethyst retorts, as if Steven's comment were jabbing at her literacy.

“Okay, but we gotta take Pearl with us. You can grab the lamp.”

“What, why do you get to carry Pearl?” Sasses Amethyst, though already grabbing the useless appliance and unplugging it.

“You've gotten to hold her like all day!” He argues softly, cradling Pearl's gem like precious cargo.

“Well she sits between us, then.”

. . .

Throughout the history, in quiet, desperate attempts to quell emotional turmoil, humans have been known to adjust their surroundings in ways that make them feel in control. Manipulating their surroundings and living spaces into a way they find aesthetically pleasing or balanced is an outward display of inner unrest. Hence, here in the midst of Steven's loft, a rearrangement of sorts has taken place. 

The bed pulled slightly forward; stools from the kitchen borrowed and placed some feet away, and countless blankets of many colors draped and stretched in an assemblage akin to a tent. A blanket fort houses Amethyst and Steven; an opening big enough for them to see the TV, yet remain comfortable and secure in their cave of fabrics. 

On the TV, relentless, drawn out dialogue carries on; gaining no attention from its now sleeping audience. Wrapped around Amethyst and Steven is a large, pink beast; it's mane providing cushioned support to aid their resting. Between them, Pearl's gem is comfortably nestled, having yet to reform.

. . .

 

"I'm really worried." Steven says weakly. Amethyst, sitting next to him on the porch, blows some hair out of her face in complete boredom; slouching in her chair.

 

"I think you're just really bored. We should go do something. Take your mind off of it, yo."

 

"Aren't you a _little bit_ nervous about this? You said a little while ago that you don't really now if her gem was affected..."

 

"What do I know? I don't pay much attention to this stuff." Amethyst lies, forging an act of aloofness about the topic. "Besides, Garnet's weird machine said she's clean." She adds-- it must've been the hundredth time she's had to assure Steven with the 'Geiger thingy'. 

"What if we take her to my mom's fountain?"

"Euuuhhh... I dunno. We normally used the fountain for like... cracks, chips... stuff you can see. I don't see anything wrong with her gem. Try to _chillax._ "

The look on Steven's face looks anything but 'chillax'. Amethyst sighs; knowing he won't be satisfied until they've exhausted all avenues. He's either really concerned or really bored of waiting. 

Amethyst wouldn't deny that she is getting pretty bored with all the sitting. They've passed up several mission offers from Garnet on the off chance that Pearl would regenerate while they were gone. 

"I guess if it'll make you feel better we can toss her gem in there for a while." She relents with an exhausted grin. Steven forms a small smile.

. . .

The warp pad activates in the sanctum of Rose's Fountain. Steven is quick to set a course for the way he believes to be in the direction of the fountain; but is quickly tugged back by the shirt.

"Woah lil man, wrong way."

"Oh, oops. I guess I got too excited." He laughs nervously, following Amethyst as she heads off in the supposed right direction. 

"How many times have you had to be taken here?" Steven asks in attempt to make conversation.

Given by the raspy laughter in response, he'd have to guess a lot.

"Too many to count." She explains, smiling confidently. "No ones gonna beat my score."

"I don't think anyone wants to." 

"Uh, it means I'm more hardcore, _Steven_. I get right into the action! People who play it safe are boring, anyways. Cracked gems and Reforms are like... cool points. And I got tons of em." She gloats, gesturing to herself.

The boy only blinks, knowing that it's probably not how it works, but fails to come up with a way to argue without coming off sounding like Pearl. 

If Pearl were here, she'd probably get into a small argument with Amethyst, telling her that she's too reckless. What Steven would gibe to hear them bickering-- instead of just the usual silence. 

Though lately, as in before his trip, they'd been arguing less and less. Did it get bad while he was gone? What were they arguing about that made Pearl go off on a mission alone? They seemed fine when he left. Despite the nagging urge to pry; he knows that it's probably not in his grasp to understand, and decidedly leaves it. 

Beyond the winding passages of thorns, the fountain comes into view. It's just as bright and magnificent as when they left it last time. He then looks down to the gem in his hands, warm from his firm grip. 

"Right well, I guess I'll give you the honors." Amethyst remarks dramatically; as if it were her decision to make. Steven brightens significantly, bounding up the rest of the way to the fountain and standing at its edge. Despite his anticipation to do so, he waits for Amethyst to catch up. The look on her face displays an sparing amusement. 

Amethyst clearly has no faith in this mission; or at least is very skeptic. But it's hard to deny Steven any opportunity for hope-- something about the boy is difficult to reject or enforce common sense. Miracles do happen, after all. 

"Why didn't you just try spitting on it before we came here?" Amethyst drawls, rubbing her eye.

 

"...Uhhh... I don't know. I don't think Pearl would like that." He replies flatly, lowering onto his knees to get closer to the water's surface. 

Amethyst entertains the idea; imagining Pearl's reaction if they told her that Steven's spit touched her gem. It would be nothing short of priceless.

In Pearl's absence, Amethyst has undoubtedly missed her. She misses talking to her, touching her... kissing her. It comes to her attention that it will be a different ballgame when she comes back. They aren't going to be isolated and alone anymore. They'll go back to some form of normalcy; they'll have Steven and Garnet around. She wonders how this will, it at all, affect their missions, or affect how they behave around Steven. 

It's too much to think about. And frankly she doesn't want to. 

Her attention flicks back to the boy beside her, as he gently lets go of Pearl's gem, watching it break the surface and sink into the shallows.

“Can gems reform under water?” Comes Steven after several seconds. Amethyst genuinely has to ponder on this, but ultimately comes back with a shrug. 

Each of them take a seat at the water's edge in a somewhat comfortable, optimistic silence. 

After some time, and mild hesitation, Steven utters a question. “Whats it like..?”

“Hm?” Returns Amethyst. “”Whats what like?”

“You know... being poofed.”

Amethyst sighs a little. “I dunno'. It's not really _like_ anything. You just don't have a body. For a while. And you spend the whole time just thinking. Pretty boring.”

“Then why does it take so long for some gems?”

At this, Amethyst shrugs, emitting a small yawn. “I guess it depends on how embarrassed or disappointed they are. And hey, it's not easy creating a new form. It's boring. You want to come back but you can't rush it because there's a chance you'll come back all wrong. It's like uh... those dumb... towers people build out of playing cards... sorta. I don't know how to explain it, lil man. I guess there'll come a time when you find out... I think.” 

It comes to her attention that she doesn't know if Steven can poof. In Pearl's way of putting it, Steven is part 'organic'. Then again, he is capable of fusion. If Steven gets hurt, who knows what'll happen-- whether he'll heal, poof, regenerate. Something Amethyst is sure no one actually wants to find out. A mystery that is worth being left unsolved.

“Does Pearl take so long because she's... disappointed in herself?”

“Probably.” She drawls, exhibiting an unnamed irritation. “You know Pearl, she hates being beaten and hates being made to look useless or... weak. I guess. She probably spends most of her time sulking.” Amethyst concludes. By the time it comes to her attention that she's being rude, it's too late to take anything back. 

Steven ponders in silence, not only wondering if he'll ever be poofed himself, but wondering why Peearl is so hard on herself despite all she had done and all she is capable of. He comes to the conclusion that he'll likely never understand. At least not any time soon. 

The unknown; the nature of what happened on a mission Steven had no part in, seeing how it affected the other gems and knowing that were he exposed to the same elements as Pearl, he certainly wouldn't have survived.

Which brings him to his next thought-- will he ever experience that level of danger on a mission? Or are the gems too afraid to witness the consequences of such exposure?

Thoughts of them both are interrupted when a dull glow forms at the bottom of the fountain, capturing their attention. Steven is the first to get up on his feet, anxious and assuming of the reason for such light. Amethyst teeters on the edge of her skepticism, remaining seated but sharing the infectious anticipation. 

Disturbing the water's surface, the familiar gem ascends, gravity all nonsense as it stops just several feet above; splaying brilliant forms of a morphing specter. It shifts and changes ever so slightly, recapping the frames of her previous forms like the transmuting fluids of a lava lamp until finally, it ceases, taking hold of a solid form and dispelling light like droplets of pristine gloss into the air.

In the dull haze of her regeneration, the familiar Pearl descends gradually, back into the fountain and hardly disturbing its calm shoals with but a gentle ripple. Graceful, as usual. 

Steven is speechless; always amazed at getting to see something so supernatural and brilliant. Amethyst shares this sentiment, hardly believing in the return herself. Given how long she's taken in the past, this certainly is 'fast'.

Pearl, at first, seems as if she's mentally checked-out; vacant and detached. Steven calls her name a few times, wondering why she's allowing herself to remain waist deep in the fountain; it's not like her to get wet for no reason. 

“Is she okay?” Asks Steven, peering to Amethyst for an answer she doesn't have. 

“She has to be. I mean, she regenerated, didn't she?”

Amethyst decides to take decisive action, sliding off the edge and into water and wading towards her... partner? Friend? Teammate? Lover? She doesn't know, all she knows is that Pearl needs a good shake.

Steven watches, confused entirely.

“Yo, P. What's the deal? You said you'd come back 'quickly'. You call THAT quick?” She reaches her teammate, reaching forward and grabbing her arm. 

This elicits a small twitch in response, and her attention surfaces slowly thereafter. Cerulean eyes catch Amethyst's, who is gazing up at her, nothing short of confused and concerned.

“Well don't just stand there, nerd. How do you feel?!” She asks, a bit louder than necessary. 

Pearl can feel tears forming; hot and uncalled for. Before either of them know it, Pearl is throwing her arms around Amethyst in a tight hug, burying her face into the crook of the other's neck. Steven watches the emotional exchange, unsure if its his place to speak out to them. 

Amethyst is startled at first, and just as she's about to return the hug, Pearl is just as quick to pull away, replacing the gesture with a passionately desperate kiss. Right on the lips. Completely unaware of the audience.

While Amethyst would just LOVE to return the affection, she however, is all-too conscious about Steven, and shoves Pearl away immediately.

The taller gem is about to question the sudden repelling; throat filled with a list if choice words. 

But before anything has the liberty of spilling out, she notices a distracted Amethyst, looking away and towards the shore. Following the hint of Amethyst's gaze, she is no sooner greeted by Steven, who merely stands at the edge of the fountain, completely stunned and confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ends Arc 1 of 3. 
> 
> I will be taking some time off for myself, but I'll also be opening up commissions, as I am struggling financially and too stressed to write.
> 
> Act 2 is TBA and scheduled to be 11-12 chapters; taking place shortly after Catch and Release. When I begin working on it entirely depends on when I can get my finances back in order. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
